Time: 1 hour prep, 3-4 hours unattended cooking
Source: Adapted from 'stewed!'
Goes with: Fries, croutons
Very nice stew, extremely flavourful and small amounts go a long way. Use a casserole or slow cooker. Very similar to bourguignon, but the beer adds a different, deeper, sweeter flavour. The first set of bread can be mashed in, these pieces taste like soaked puff pastry. Subsequent bread can be left on top to form croutons. Use beef stock if water needs a top up. Veg is optional and whatever you have or prefer, certainly serving veg alongside is fine. I love mushrooms in these types of stews though. As per usual, meat browned as steaks on one side only, then cut into chunks.
- 3tbsp olive oil
- 1200g stewing beef (shin if you've got it)
- 200g unsmoked streaky bacon, or lardons
- 4 medium onions, finely sliced (processor if you have)
- 1.5 tbsp muscovado sugar
- 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1.5 tbsp plain flour
- 750ml dark Belgian beer (Leffe Brune, Chimay Blue)
- 4 tbsp red wine vinegar
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp dried thyme (or 2 sprigs fresh)
- Dijon/wholegrain mustard
- Golden syrup
- French stick bread
- Veg (mushrooms, carrots, ... optional)
- Slice onions, bacon, garlic
- Add a little oil to a saucepan, and fry bacon on medium until fat has melted
- Add onions, and cook slowly for 30 minutes, until soft and nearly caramelising. When ready, add garlic and sugar, cook for 5 minutes more. Add flour, cook 2 minutes more.
- Meanwhile:
- Trim the outer sinew/gristle from the beef, slice into inch thick steaks
- Heat olive oil in a casserole on high heat, then fry the steaks in batches on one side only until dark brown. Don't crowd the pan, move steaks into a large bowl when done
- Preheat oven to 160C/gas mark 3
- When all the steaks are done, lower the heat on the casserole. Chop the steaks into chunks, I like an inch to 1.5 inch thick.
- Pour the beer into the casserole, and throw the beef and any collected juices in. Scrape the fond off the pan into the beer.
- Add vinegar, bay leaf, thyme, two generous pinches of salt into the casserole.
- Wait until the onions are ready, then throw them in, make sure you scrape the pan.
- Bring to a simmer, cover with a lid, then into the oven for 2-3 hours. The time will depend on the meat, it should be 1 hour from ready after this period, don't worry too much if you're a bit over here, it'll still be good.
- Meanwhile, prep the bread and any veg being used:
- Chop two sets of bread slices, 2cm to 1 inch think. Each set will cover 1/2 of the casserole. Spread mustard (alternate types if you like) onto one side of each slice.
- Prep any veg, chop mushrooms and peel/chop carrots into bitesize pieces
- This part is a little freestyle, and I've complicated things to get the result I want. The simple version from here is to dump veg, bread, 2 tbsp syrup in, stir, lid on, and cook for 45 minutes. However, For my ideal finished result, the meat should finish tender but not breaking apart on its own. The veg has cooked in the stew for 30-45 minutes. One set of bread has been stirred into the stew for 30 minutes, another has been left to crisp on top for 30 minutes. The liquid will not have over reduced but the stew is thick enough to stay on the top of bread. To get croutons a little more is needed. Ready? Here we go:
- 1 hour until the meat is finished cooking, stir in the first set of mustard-bread. Squeeze 2tbsp syrup into the pot. Stir. Lid on, and casserole into the oven for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, stir, break up the bread. Stir in the veg, adjust seasoning. Next step will cook uncovered for 30 minutes - consider adding some stock here to ensure it won't be too dry. Lay the second set of bread on top, mustard up. Lid off, back in the oven for 30 minutes to crisp up.
- Remove and serve on fries, crouton each on top.
