This mustard beef and beer stew is slow cooked in the oven to produce a meal good enough for a dinner party. What's more, all the ingredients are locally sourced making it an ethical choice too!
We all know how important it is to reduce food miles and to support local businesses and food producers. Well, this month I've been working with The Foodie Guide to develop a dinner party recipe made only with locally sourced ingredients.
Have an Easy Dinner Party with this Beef and Beer Stew
Now, I'm not one for giving fancy dinner parties or spending hours in the kitchen preparing food. No, not even for a dinner party. I always try to serve food that I can prepare in advance so that once the guests are here, I can relax with a drink too! I decided on a beery mustard beef stew as although it can be simple, it's a really tasty choice, especially in January. It's also a crowd-pleasing recipe that I'd happily eat in someone else's house.
Sourcing local dinner party ingredients
I have to admit that I am often a lazy shopper. I do online shopping for most of our food. However, this challenge forced me to be more adventurous. There is a brilliant butcher's shop, Giardina's Family Butcher's in Walton on Thames, less than a mile from my house.
All the meat is free-range from a local farm and the staff are really knowledgeable. I got the chuck steak for this beer and beer stew there as it is perfect for slow cooking.
Locally produced mustard
I bought the other products at my local farm shop, at Garson's Garden Centre in Esher. They have a wonderful selection of products with many from local producers. I got some fantastic Le Mesurier Gourmet British Condiments Horseradish Mustard which is produced in Surrey. Mustard and horseradish go brilliantly with beef and I absolutely love this stuff now! I put some in the stew but also had a big dollop on the side of my plate.
Local Beer
For the beer I used some Twickenham Honey Dark as it's brewed in a local brewery. I'm not an expert on beer but I hoped that the honey in it would complement the mustard.
Pick your own vegetables
Now, in summer I would have had no problem getting local vegetables as Garsons farm is one of the largest pick-your-own farms in the UK. I often take the children to pick all sorts of fruit and vegetables.
Last year alone I remember picking cabbages, carrots, onions, broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, mange tout, pumpkins, squash, corn on the cob, apples, strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants and gooseberries.
If you live locally it is well worth a visit. You can also buy the produce in the farm shop during the pick your own season.
Roasted vegetables are great with this beef and beer stew
I wasn't able to find out where the carrots and onions came from but they are English. The carrots still had their beautiful green leaves on top.
Do you just throw them away? If so, don't as you can make this gorgeous carrot top pesto with them. The roasted carrots go beautifully with the stew but other sweet root vegetables would also work well. Because of the slight bitterness of the beer, I'd definitely recommend roasted vegetables with this.
I managed to get some freshly baked bread from Garsons too - this was great for mopping up the lovely liquid in the stew!
How to get the perfect beef and beer stew
I began cooking this stew on the hob and then transferred it to the oven to slow cook. Do make sure you cook it for long enough so the beef is tender and falls apart. Also, beery beef stews can have a bitter edge if not cooked for long enough or if the beer is too hoppy.
If you think this is the case then a spoonful of brown sugar can make it just right. The sweetness of the roasted vegetables also balances out any bitterness.
Recipe
Locally Sourced Beef and Ale Stew
Ingredients
- 2 onions diced
- 500 g chuck steak diced
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- 500 ml dark beer
- 2 teaspoon mustard
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar (optional)
- Pinch black pepper
- Pinch salt
- parsley or green carrot tops for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 140C
- Fry the onion gently in a little oil for about 5 minutes until soft.
- Coat the beef in the flour and add to the pan. Brown on all sides. Depending on the size of your pan you may need to do this in two stages.
- Add the beer. Scrape the wooden spoon on the bottom of the pan to loosen any sticky bits. Bring to the boil.
- Put the lid on the pan and transfer to the oven. Cook for 3 hours.
- Stir in the mustard, season with salt and pepper. Add a little sugar if you think it needs it.
- Serve with bread and roasted vegetables.
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this, why not try one of these beef recipes?
You might also like my easy coq au vin recipe!
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you make this beef and beer stew. I love to get feedback from readers.
You can also stay up to date by following on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post.
Midge @ Peachicks' Bakery
YUM! I know a Daddy Peacock that would inhale a bowl or two of this! And I'm with you on the carrot tops, its such a shame to throw them away they are just so delicious in all sorts of dishes!
Corina Blum
Exactly! Next week's recipe uses carrot tops as a the main ingredient - I'll never throw them away again!
Michelle Frank | Flipped-Out Food
You had me at "beery". This stew looks amazing, and I love the idea of locally sourced ingredients. I made the mistake of using an overly hoppy beer in a stew: I'll never do THAT again! This is going straight to the top of my "To-Make" list!
Corina Blum
I'm so pleased you like it! Yes, beer can be a bit variable in a stew and normally I love really hoppy bear if I'm drinking it but it can make the stew too bitter!
Stephanie
This sounds very yummy and it's lovely it's locally sourced as well. The food is much nicer too
Corina Blum
Exactly! I'm so pleased you like it.
jenny walters
This caught my eye straight away!How blinkin wonderful. I am so the same-I only ever make simple make ahead food for dinner parties. In fact it's a bit of a passion for me. This recipe completely fits the bill!
Corina Blum
I'm so pleased you agree Jenny! Simple but tasty meals are definitely best for dinner parties. There's nothing worse than being stuck in the kitchen all night instead of being able to chat to the guests. As much as I love cooking, I like to do it when there's no one else there, except my kids and husband of course!
Jo @ Jo's Kitchen Larder
Lovely stew with beautiful and hearty flavours! I wholeheartedly support the idea of sourcing your food locally but I know we could be doing more. Well done you! x
Corina Blum
Thanks Jo! It is more effort to support local shops these days but the meat from the butchers was such good quality (and they were so helpful) that I will make more of an effort to go there in future. x
Kara Guppy
This looks like the perfect winter warmer - I am really cold and need this now!!
Corina Blum
Thanks Kara! I think it's going to be stew weather for quite a while still!
Anosa Malanga
Looks very deliciously made! Most of the time I buy foods too but this year I will see to it to give more time to cook as well. I will take note of this as well and try for myself.
Corina Blum
I hope you enjoy it! Homemade meals are the best if you have time to make them, aren't they?
fashionandstylepolice
I am loving this Beef Stew recipe Corina. It sounds so yummy.
Corina Blum
Thanks! I'm so pleased you like it.
Monika Dabrowski
This stew looks so rich and gorgeous, thank you for bringing it to #CookBlogShare.
I tried to pin it but I got; 'this site doesn't allow you to save pins', strange isn't it? I thought I'd let you know. Shared everywhere else though.
Corina Blum
Thanks for letting me know Monika! I'm trying to sort it out now.
Kate - gluten free alchemist
Lovely looking stew! It is so important to use local produce and we try to do so whenever possible. Mind you.... living in the Garden of England we are pretty lucky! x
Corina Blum
Thanks Kate! I know most of the year I don't use local produce enough. We do a lot of pick your own in summer but generally I don't support small local businesses enough. It's just so easy to do online supermarket shopping but I have definitely decided to visit my local butcher's shop more often since doing this challenge. x
Cat
Your stew sounds delicious., love the idea of adding mustard to it and that the ingredients are all locally sourced.
Corina Blum
Thanks Cat! The mustard I found was lovely and went so well in and alongside the stew! It was also a really interesting challenge.
Ami Rose
This sounds really lovely. I would never have thought about adding beer to a stew, although I don't make stew often. Maybe now is the time to start!
Ami xxx
Corina Blum
I think a stew is a really nice meal in winter. I don't often add beer but as I was creating a recipe as part of a local produce challenge and there are some great local beers, it seemed only natural to add some!
Ana De- Jesus
I like the sound of mixing beer and mustard together and making it into a stew. As I am a vegetarian I would would use Quorn but I can imagine it going well with this kind of sauce!
Corina Blum
I am sure quorn would be a fantastic alternative! It's something I'd like to experiment with cooking with at some point.
Mimi
You had me at beery! No, really this looks good. And warm!
Corina Blum
Thanks Mimi! I'm so pleased you like it - beery is definitely good in a stew!
Talya
I love the sound of this - it sounds like just the perfect comfort food we need in the bleakness that is January!
Corina Blum
Exactly! I think meals like this are perfect for January.
Katy Stevens
This looks absolutely beautiful! I love locally sourced ingredients!
Corina Blum
Thanks Katy! This challenge really made me make an effort not just to go to the supermarket and I really enjoyed it. I'll be shopping locally more often.
Jeas
This looks really yummy and doesn’t look like it will be too hard ! Will be bookmarking this to try !
Corina Blum
I'm so pleased you like it! Let me know how it goes.
Jon
This is my kind of soup!! You've made it look even better I feel by having that loaf of white bread beside it!
Corina Blum
I always think bread goes so well with soup!