Beef stew - beer rather than wine?

[TheSurgeonsMate]

If I made a beef stew with beer rather than wine, what sort of beer would that be? I'd see the rest of the ingredients as being onions, carrots, dumplings, and that's about it. Will this work?

[BunnyLebowski]

It's best with a dark ale or Guinness but works with any kind of beer. Even Aldi stubby lager which is all I had in a few weeks ago Turned out lovely!

I made beef stew today and used port for the first time. It's seriously delicious. Worried there'll be none left for DP when he gets home at this rate

[TheSurgeonsMate]

Ah! Inspiring! I intend to make a special trip to the beer shop, so shall go for a dark ale or Guiness as a first stab. If it works, no doubt I'll be cooking with lager, port and tequila in no time at all...

[BunnyLebowski]

Sambuca maybe?

Hobgoblin is one of my favourites. Anything of that ilk.

[Lulabellarama]

I find stews with beer can be quite bitter so make sure you use plenty of sweet vegetables like carrot/parsnip/onions to balance it out.

[Jux]

DH recommends porter for stew.

I find bitterness is counteracted by salt.

[FeeFoo]

It's Guinness all the way! Here's a Beef Stew recipe from my blog, it is one of my favourite comfort foods, especially in this cold weather. Brrrrr!
feelingfood.co.uk/2012/12/04/guiness-stew-and-elvis/
Lulabellarama sweet vegetables balancing out the bitterness is so true!

[TheSurgeonsMate]

I've bought a bottle of Hobgoblin and come home to find that the beef in the fridge is in fact venison. Pressing on...

[Jux]

Oh yum! Love venison. Do let us know how it turns out.

[jennimoo]

My MIL did a recipe that added red currant / cranberry jelly which counteracted any bitterness and added a lovely sweetness. I might even try black currant jam...

[TheSurgeonsMate]

Very good indeed! Put a bit of turnip left over from burns night in there too, which I also enjoyed. Think I'll try Guinness next, before branching out too far.

[TheSurgeonsMate]

(That's swede, I think, for English readers.)

[dreamingofsun]

thesurgeons - no swedes and turnips are different in the uk. turnips are small and white, swedes larger and yellow/orange. the latter are lovely mashed with nutmeg and butter

[TheSurgeonsMate]

yy, it's the large yellow orange ones that we eat on Burns night up here - we call them turnips.

[dreamingofsun]

what do you call the little white round things? about the size of a cricket ball?

[wannabedomesticgoddess]

YY to redcurrant jelly. A spoonful added to gravy on its own is lovely.

Even raspberry jam if its all you have.

[TheSurgeonsMate]

dreaming - now you're asking. They are a late addition to my culinary experience. According to this useful guide to turnip terminology, we call them "swedes". I don't really call them swedes, I'd be incline to call them white turnips.

[Jux]

Turnips can be quite bitter, but are also good in stews (I do prefer swede, and as I can't get dh to eat those, I have no chance of him eating turnip! Cattle fodder is what he'll say).

I shall try making that stew. When I do venison I tend to do it with red wine and a few prunes (other stuff as well, but can't remember - it's a bit of a faff).

[dreamingofsun]

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turnip

i'm confused. so do you call this a swede or a turnip?

you can tell i'm bored at work today!!

[TheSurgeonsMate]

So, in that picture there, what you've got is what I personally would call a white turnip. To distinguish it from this, which is a turnip: turnip.

I am more familiar with turnips that white turnips, because (1) we eat neeps and tatties with haggis; and (2) I am old enough that my Daddy made me a turnip lantern rather than a pumpkin one at Hallowe'en

I rarely cook with either. In fact, I may never have cooked with white turnip. Following Jux's comment, I'm not that inclined to try.

[BerryLellow]

Swedes are turnips in Cornwall too

Jamie Oliver's steak and guiness pie starts as a beef stew. it's lush!

this week I slow cooked brisket in port and red onions from a Dan Lepard recipe in Saturday's guardian. it was so stupidly delicious dp and I ate the lot in one sitting

[dreamingofsun]

Surgeon - i'm guessing you are scottish? white turnips are ok chopped into casseroles.

[TheSurgeonsMate]

Yes, I am Scottish.

Berry I've just checked that recipes out - looks easy, no frying or browning at the beginning. Did you bother to make sandwiches or did you just eat it?

[BerryLellow]

no, I did Hassleback potatoes and green beans

it was so good!

I did cook it for longer than he said though, I like my brisket to practically disintegrate so easy to just fling it all in!

[Jux]

I've made that JO stew. It was very very yum. I think I cooked it longer too.