Slow-cooked beef braised in ale with mashed potatoes and roast carrots

With the chilly nights setting in, its the perfect time to create a mouthwatering slow-cooked beef dish, braised in ale, and served with creamy mashed potatoes and perfectly roasted carrots. So, let's roll up our sleeves and get cooking!

Slow-Cooked Beef Braised in Ale

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1.2 kg beef chuck, cheek or brisket

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 onions, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

500ml ale (choose a robust British ale)

500ml beef stock

2 bay leaves

2 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 kg potatoes (Maris Piper or King Edward work well), peeled and diced

100g butter

150ml double cream

4 large carrots, peeled & sliced lengthways in half

2 tbsp olive oil

Salt and black pepper, to taste

Fresh rosemary sprigs, for garnish

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C.

2. Season the beef generously with salt and black pepper. In a large, ovenproof casserole dish, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides until it forms a rich, golden crust. Remove the beef and set it aside.

3. In the same casserole dish, add the chopped onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Add the minced garlic and continue to cook for another minute.

4. Pour in the ale and beef stock, stirring to deglaze the bottom of the dish and scrape up any flavourful bits. Return the beef to the dish.

5. Add the bay leaves and fresh thyme sprigs. Cover the casserole dish with a lid and place it in the oven.. Allow it to braise for 3-4 hours until the beef is tender and easily shreds with a fork.

6. While the beef is braising, boil the peeled and diced potatoes in a large pot of salted water until they are fork-tender. Drain.

7. In a separate saucepan, heat the butter and milk until the butter melts. Mash the potatoes and gradually add the warm milk and butter mixture until you reach your desired creamy consistency. Season with salt and white pepper.

8. Toss the peeled and carrots in olive oil, salt, black pepper and a few sprigs of rosemary. Spread them on a baking tray and roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until they are tender and golden brown.

9. Once the beef is tender, remove it from the casserole dish and allow to rest. Pass the casserole juice and vegetables through a fine siv. Discard any bay leaves and thyme sprigs and press the vegetables through the sit into the liquid. this will help sauce thicken as it cooks.

10. Place the stock into a sauce pan and warm through on a low heat to create a rich, thick sauce.

11. To serve, spoon the mash just off centre of the plate, place the beef on the top of the potatoes and spoon over some of the sauce. Lay the carrot on to the beef & garnish with a few leaves off of a rosemary stalk.