Beef & Ale Stew without slow cooker

[Cruising Mike]

For those who don't have a slow cooker this recipe is for you. (Quantities are up to you depending on how many heads you feed)

 

All this is just using 1 pot so handy on the boat and can be left to simmer whilst you cruise. The smell will be a welcome thing when you come in after mooring. Or if you are crusing against the wind and the boat doors are open, you will be stuck in the scent when crusing at the back!

 

1. Coat some beef cubes in flour and shake off excess. Brown in batches in hot oil for a few mins then set aside on some paper towels.

 

2. Saute some onions till translucent for about 5mins on a medium heat in the same oil as above. Add some garlic and saute for a further minute. Add a glob of tomato puree and mix well. Stir in the browned meat.

 

3. Now add one can of good ale, stout or bitter preferably Guiness. But lager also works well and is nice. Add the same amount in water and a couple of stock cubes. Add some herbs, any will do but i prefer to use oregano. Simmer on a low heat for 1-2 hours till meat is tender.

 

4. Now add the potatoes, carrots and suede and cook for a further 15-20mins til the veg is tender.

 

5. Add some garden peas in the end and season well with salt and pepper.

 

The flour should help in making the stew the right consistency, but if it is still too thin, add some cornflour mixed with water to the stew. Likewise, if too think just add water.

 

 

Serve in a bowl with some crusty bread.

[Naughty Cal]

We often slow cook at home in a heavy casserole dish in the oven. Works a treat.

 

Although we have found that we tend to slow cook the meal the evening before we plan to eat it and then reheat it in the microwave the following evening ready to eat.

 

Really must get a slow cooker for at home as well.

[kevinl]

You forgot the spoonful of bovril or marmite if you're that way inclined

K

[OldGoat]

Hay boxes used to be quite popular, at least there were several threads - probably on these fora.

The idea of sweet smelling summer hay (ah, nice!) was that it discouraged heat loses by convection.

Part cook the meal in an iron casserole, take off / out of the stove and bung it into the hay box and leave for hours and hours and hours.

 

Never tried it.

 

Thoughts, folks??

 

 

[Cruising Mike]

It's all very well using casserole dishes and slow cookers, where you just chuck it all in and leave it to cook slowly for hours. But the method above it for pot cooking on an open flame or hot ring. Can even be done outdoors if you have the proper cooker and time.

[Taslim]

The straw box method works with quality cool boxes too BUT put extra insulation under the pot or you wreck the box.

[Puddlejumper]

Sounds yummy