Braised Beef In Guinness With Caramelised Red Onions Asda Good Living Food

GUINNESS BRAISED BEEF

Steps:

• Coat the chuck roast in flour and liberally season with salt & pepper.
• In a dutch oven or large stockpot, heat olive oil to high.
• Sear the beef for on all sides until golden brown, working in batches if needed.
• Remove the beef from the pan, leaving any liquid in the pot, and reduce heat to medium.
• Add onions and cook for about a minute - stirring frequently.
• Return beef to the pot and add remaining ingredients.
• Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 - 2 1/2 hours, or until beef is tender and liquids have thickened.
• Remove celery from pot, and adjust seasoning to taste before serving.

RICH BRAISED BEEF WITH MELTING ONIONS

Steps:

• Dust the beef in flour, then set aside. Heat the oil in a large pan. Add the onions and fry for 5 mins. Add the sugar and cook for 5-10 mins, stirring frequently, until the onions are caramelised. Stir in the garlic for the final few mins.
• Pour in the stock and stir in the Worcestershire sauce. Add the beef and mushrooms, then season, adding plenty of black pepper. Cover and cook gently for 2 hrs until the meat is tender. Can be chilled for up to 3 days. To freeze, cool and store in freezer bags. Thaw and reheat in a pan. Serve scattered with parsley.

BRAISED BEEF IN RED WINE

Steps:

• A day ahead, marinate the beef. Bring the wine to the boil in a large saucepan, then boil until reduced by a third to remove the alcohol (takes about 8-10 mins). Leave to cool for about 1 hr. Mix the beef steaks, carrots, celery, baby onions, garlic, crushed peppercorns and bouquet garni together in 1 or 2 large bowls, then pour the cooled red wine over them. Cover with cling film, put in the fridge and leave to marinate for 24 hrs.
• The next day, place a large colander over a large bowl and tip in the beef mixture to drain off the marinade. Leave for at least 1 hr to remove excess liquid.
• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Sprinkle the flour on a baking sheet and cook for 8-10 mins until it has turned pale brown. Set aside. Reduce oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2.
• Separate the beef, vegetables and herbs and pat dry with kitchen paper. Reserve the marinade liquid. Season the beef with 4 pinches of salt. In a large, heavy-based casserole over a high heat, warm the clarified butter, then colour the beef steaks in it for 5-7 mins on each side - in batches if necessary. (To clarify butter, warm it gently in a small pan. The white milk solids will sink to the bottom, then you can carefully pour off the clear, clarified butter.) With a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate and set aside. Add the drained vegetables to the casserole. Lower the heat to medium-high and cook for 5 mins until lightly coloured, stirring occasionally.
• Tip the toasted flour into the casserole and stir for a few secs. Pour in the marinade wine little by little, stirring constantly to incorporate it into the flour and until the sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Add the beef and herbs, bring the sauce to the boil and skim if necessary. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 3 hrs.
• To finish the sauce, place a colander (big enough to hold the meat and veg) over a large saucepan and drain off the cooking liquor from the casserole. Put the saucepan on a high heat and boil until the sauce has reduced by about half to make a lightly coating sauce. Skim if necessary. Taste the sauce. Do not add any salt as you will be adding the smoked ham or lardons later. Return the beef and vegetables to the casserole, then pour over the sauce (discarding the herbs).
• For the garnish, heat the butter over a high heat in a large non-stick frying pan, then fry the mushrooms until lightly caramelised, adding a little more butter if necessary. Season to taste. Mix into the beef with the finely sliced ham or freshly fried lardons. Heat through, sprinkle with the parsley and serve piping hot.

BRAISED BEEF WITH RED ONIONS & WILD MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3. Pat the beef dry with kitchen paper and season both sides. Thinly slice the onions. Pour 600ml boiling water over the dried mushrooms. Soak for 30 mins, then drain, reserving the juices.
• Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large, flameproof casserole, then add the meat and fry on both sides until browned. you may need to do this in batches. Remove the meat from the pan, pour in the remaining oil, then add the onions and fry for 10 mins until softened and lightly browned. Return the meat to the pan, sprinkle in the flour and cook for 1 min.
• Add the port, mushroom liquid and soaked mushrooms. Bring to the boil, season, then cover tightly and cook in the oven for 1½-2 hrs until the meat is tender. Check after 1 hr and give it a stir. If the sauce looks like it's getting too thick, add a splash of boiling water.
• Taste and add more seasoning if necessary, then add the chestnut mushrooms and cook for a further 10 mins.