A recipe by Gary Rhodes
His tender braised beef with a boozy touch is staggeringly tasty!
Beef braised in ale gets my taste buds tingling! The very rich gravy is his favourite part of the dish and he loves mopping up the last drops with crusty bread! It is so easy to do – once prepared in the casserole dish, it can be virtually forgotten about while it braises, filling your kitchen with an appetising aroma.
Serves: 6
Ingredients: 2 lb (900g) silverside or chuck steak joint; salt and pepper; ½ oz (15g) beef dripping, or cooking oil; 4 onions, sliced; sprig of fresh thyme; 1 lb (450g) button mushrooms, washed; 15fl oz (450ml) strong beer (bitter); 10fl oz (300ml) beef stock (cubes can be used); 2 tblsp tomato puree; freshly chopped parsley, to garnish
- Preheat oven to 200oC/400oF, gas Mark 6. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat dripping or 2 tblsp in a roasting pan and brown beef on all sides. Set aside. Heat 2 tblsp oil in an ovenproof casserole dish, sweat onions for a few minutes, along with the thyme. Add mushrooms, beer, stock and tomato puree. Then place beef in casserole dish and simmer, skimming off any impurities. Once simmering, cover with a lid and cook in oven for 2-2 ½ hours. The beef will be so tender, you could almost carve it with a spoon!
- When cooked, remove beef from the casserole dish and wrap in foil. With a slotted spoon, remove onions and mushrooms from the dish and set aside. Reboil beer gravy, skimming as it boils. Check flavour and consistency. Once strong in taste, if the gravy is too thin, thicken with a little cornflour mixed with water.
- Return onions and mushrooms to the gravy and reheat. Carve beef into portions and spoon gravy over the top. Garnish, serve.