Picture the scene: It’s been a crisp autumn day, the days have started getting shorter and there’s a noticeable chill in the air. You want something cosy and comforting to eat.
That’s where our Beef & Guinness stew comes in! Slow-cooked to release a world of flavour, the beef becomes meltingly soft and buttery. Serve with roasted veg or mash for a meal that will warm the soul.
Ingredients
- 1kg beef stewing steak
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 large onions, chopped
- 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
- 2 tbsp tomato puree
- 375ml Guinness
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme
Method
- Cube the beef into bite-sized chunks and toss with 1 tbsp of oil.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, salt, pepper and cayenne, then add the beef to the mixture to coat.
- In a deep frying pan or casserole dish, heat the remaining oil and add the beef. Cook until brown on all sides, but not cooked through.
- Add the chopped onions and garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Stir the tomato puree into a small amount of water to dilute, then pour into the pan and stir to blend. Reduce the heat, cover, and allow to cook for 5 minutes.
- Pour 1/3 of the Guinness into the pan and, as it comes to the boil scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release the flavour into the stock. Add the rest of the Guinness, along with the carrots and thyme.
- Cover, reduce the heat to low, and let the stew simmer for 2-3 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent anything from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Taste and season before serving.
Lead image: Lisovskaya via Getty images.