Winter Warmer Stew

  • Prep time
  • Difficulty easy
  • Serves 6-8
beef stew

Ingredients

  • 1kg Native Highland Shin of Beef (diced)
  • 300g Farmison & Co's Robert Greaves smoked thick hand cut streak bacon
  • 400g Shallots peeled left whole
  • 2 x Bay leaves
  • 2 x Sprigs of thyme
  • 5 x Stalks of parsley
  • 250g Button mushrooms
  • 250g Portobello mushrooms sliced about 10mm thick
  • 300g Carrots
  • 750g Mashing potatoes
  • Salt & pepper to season
  • 40g British butter
  • 40g Plain flour
  • 1 litre of Guinness
  1. Heat the butter in a large frying pan and slightly brown the smoked bacon until the fat runs.
  2. Transfer the bacon to a large casserole dish or saucepan.
  3. Using the same fat brown the shallots in the frying pan, transfer to casserole dish with the bacon.
  4. Dust the shin beef with seasoned plain flour and in batches, brown in the frying pan, and transfer to casserole dish.
  5. De-glaze the frying pan with a little Guinness and add to the casserole.
  6. Pour the rest of the Guinness into the casserole (add a little water if you needed to cover the meat).
  7. Tie all the herbs into a bouquet garni and add to the casserole.
  8. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil, then simmer gently with the lid on but slightly a-jar.
  9. Cook the stew for 2 hours stirring occasionally then add the mushrooms and cook for a further hour.
  10. Remove the bouquet garni and serve with buttery mash and glazed Farmison carrots.