Serves
Serves 2-4
Wintery months call for comforting meals to warm the soul. This delicious slow-cooked venison and ale stew is a great way of making the most of seasonal game and deliciously rich flavours.
Ingredients
- 1 kg of diced venison haunch or shoulder, or alternatively use beef
- 500ml real ale (try Welbeck Abbey Brewery Ale, Ernest George for a rich deep flavour)
- 200ml beef stock
- 25g flour
- 2 tablespoons of oil
- 25g butter
- 8 shallots, peeled and sliced
- 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
- 150g mushrooms, halved if large
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
Method
- Heat the oil and butter in a heavy based casserole dish or deep frying pan and brown the meat, then remove to a plate and keep warm.
- Fry the shallots and mushrooms for a few minutes until the shallots have softened and are slightly golden. Add the meat and any juices back to the pan and sprinkle over the flour.
- Pour over the ale and add the carrots, bay leaf and thyme, stir everything together.
- Put a lid on the pan, then bring to the boil briefly before simmering very slowly for about 2 hours 30 mins.
- Add the beef stock and continue to simmer for another hour or until the meat is tender. Season to taste with salt and black pepper towards the end of cooking.
- Serve with a helping of buttery mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables or but buttered cabbage.