Beef In Rusty Lane

My mate has started up his own brewery. One of the beers he produces is a lovely "red" ales called Rusty Lane, which is copper in colour, and has a nice rounded maltiness to its taste. It's ideal for cooking beef slowly in the oven, giving the sauce a very slight sweetness. You can, obviously, substitute another ale.

Recipe for: BEEF IN K & A’s RUSTY LANE RED ALE

Ingredients:

• 1 – 1½ kg shin of beef, in large pieces (or use chuck or stewing beef)
• 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
• 2 tblsp sunflower oil and/ or butter
• 50g seasoned flour
• 500-700ml good strong red ale (Kennet & Avon’s Rusty Lane is perfect for this)
• Sprigs of thyme, rosemary, parsley, chives, tied together in muslin to form a bouquet garni
• 1 tblsp tomato puree (optional)
• Salt & pepper
• 2 bay leaves

 Method:

1. heat the oven to 140C/ fan 120C
2. toss the meat pieces  in the seasoned flour, shaking off any excess
3. in a large flame-proof casserole put the oil and/ or butter, then brown the meat all over in batches – do not over-crowd the pan, or it will steam rather than fry.  Set the beef aside.
4. add more butter and/ or oil to the pan, then fry the onions until lightly browned – about ten minutes
5. add any leftover flour from coating the meat, stirring around frequently
6. add the beer to the pan , stirring to incorporate all the leftover scrapings from frying the meat.  The onions & flour should thicken the liquid slightly.
7. add the tomato puree, if using, and the bouquet garni, bay leaves & salt & pepper
8. return the meat to the casserole & stir to incorporate, then bring back to a low simmer
9. cover tightly & transfer to the oven, to cook for 2-3 hours
10. check occasionally to make sure it’s not drying out or cooking too quickly
11. when it’s ready, fish out the bouquet garni & discard

 What else you need to know:

1. serve with mashed potatoes or (herb) dumplings to mop up all the juices
2. dumplings need to go into the casserole about 40 minutes before you want to eat
3. variations include adding carrot and/ or celery with the onions to bulk out the dish, but I think it’s fine as it is