Cooking Goodness with Guinness - "Beef in Stout"

"Beef in Stout", Favourite Casserole Recipes, J. Salmon, Ltd.

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Over the years, in the 1990s, early 2000s, every time we travelled to England, I would always try and pick up a different mini cookbook in the "Favourite" series.  With such titles as "Favourite Teatime Recipes", "Favourite Yorkshire Recipes" and "Favourite Farmhouse Recipes" ... how can you go wrong?  Always in the gift shops at many of the tourist traps, (and usually at the cashier), only 99p, and so nice and small to fit easily in the suitcase.  Then, one English relative, realizing I liked them, started mailing these books each Christmas.  I have a wonderful little "mini" collection in an old vintage tin!

This recipe comes from "Favourite Casserole Recipes" and I have altered it slightly (as you do!).  It calls for a nice can of Guinness ... but make sure you buy more than one, in case you have a fan in your house.  My husband loves this stew and his only complaint is that I don't buy a can of Guinness for him!

You will need:

1 lb stewing steak (1/2 small
​  package)
1 tbsp olive oil
A walnut of butter
1 white onion, diced
2 tbsps flour
2 or 3 carrots, sliced length
  ways
1 tsp brown sugar
Salt & pepper

1/2 to 3/4 pint Guinness stout (save the rest for hubby or you're in trouble!)

Pouring in the Guinness ... not the sound you might expect!

Thickening nicely ...

What you do:

Heat the oil and butter in a large frying pan and brown the meat.  Remove meat and set aside.  Fry the onions in the pan.   Then quickly stir in the flour and seasoning to taste.   Return the meat to the pan and add the carrots and sugar.  Pour in the stout.  Stir well, bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently for 2 to 2 1/2 hours - stirring now and then.  Cook until the meat is tender.  

I serve with roast potatoes but nice with mash too.  Serve with a green salad ... if you must!

This is a simply sumptuous meal! You will notice the gravy thicken and bubble beautifully.  It is imperative that you keep the heat low to low medium.  This is a very slow cooking meal ... but so easy to prepare and worth the wait.  Comfort food at its best!

Meadow Sweet Grove © V. Buchanan 2019