Feeling peckish? Time for beer braised beef!
Although we love drinks, we also get hungry from time to time. As such, we’ve devised some recipes that pair perfectly with beers from our Atlantic Archipelago range. In fact, they even form part of the ingredients too! Give them a go, we’re sure you’re going to love them!
First up, we have Beer Braised Beef to pair nicely with our The West Saxon Session IPA.
Ingredients
1.3 to 1.5 kg beef
salt
3 small yellow onions
2 medium red bell peppers
4 celery sticks
1 large carrot
Extra-virgin olive oil for searing
12 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 teaspoons fennel seeds, roughly crushed
2 teaspoons chili flakes
Black pepper
1 bottle of The West Saxon Session IPA
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Fresh parsley for serving
Method
Begin by placing the beef on a cutting board and cutting it into 12 to 14 cubes. Season generously with salt on all sides and set aside.
For the veggies: Dice the onion and bell peppers, slice the celery into 1/4-inch (0.5 cm) pieces, and roughly chop the carrot into bite-sized chunks. If you’re short on time, you can toss the onion, peppers, and celery into a food processor for a quicker prep.
Heat a medium heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, adding enough oil to coat the bottom. Sear the beef in two batches, cooking for 10 to 15 minutes until deeply browned and caramelized, flipping halfway through. Once seared, transfer the beef to a clean bowl and set aside. Add more oil if necessary for the second batch.
Add the diced onion, bell peppers, celery, carrot, garlic cloves, paprika, fennel, chili flakes, black pepper, and a generous pinch of salt to the same pot. Stir occasionally and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until the vegetables soften.
Preheat your oven to 175°C and position a rack in the centre.
Pour 500ml of The West Saxon beer, soy sauce, and vinegar into the pot. Return the seared beef (along with its juices) to the pot and bring the mixture to a simmer. Cover the pot with a lid and carefully transfer it to the oven. Let it cook for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the beef is tender enough to shred with a fork. During cooking, the beer will reduce to about a quarter or a third of its original volume. Every hour, baste the meat with the juices to keep the tops from drying out.
After cooking, taste and adjust seasoning with more salt if needed. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.