Good meat, good beer and good pastry – it’s clear why this steak and ale pie is a winner. 

How to make steak and ale pie

225 grams/8 ounces plain flour, plus extra for rolling out

salt

250 grams/9 ounces unsalted butter,

150 milliliters/¼ pint ice-cold water

free-range egg, beaten, to glaze

tbsp plain flour

olive oil

300 milliliters/½ pint brown ale

garlic cloves, roughly chopped

onions, roughly chopped

250 grams/9 ounces carrots, roughly chopped

celery,

bay leaf

thyme

300 milliliters/½ pint good-quality beef stock

tomato purée

tbsp balsamic vinegar

chestnut

butter

salt and black pepper

Ale barley lamb shanks

lamb shanks

leeks

pearl barley

umami paste

500 ml of your favourite ale

In this cozy beef stew, tender chunks of meat in a silky, savory, ale-tinged sauce share the pot with wedges of red onion and sweet nuggets of carrot. A little coriander and allspice add fragrance and depth to the mix, while a spoonful of tomato paste deepens and rounds out the flavors. Like all stews, it tastes even better a day or two later, and can be frozen for up to two months. Serve it over something soft and buttery to soak up the sauce: a mound of mashed potatoes, noodles or polenta.

Hearty Beef Stew With Red Onions and Ale

beef

Kosher salt and black pepper

red onions

all-purpose flour

unsalted butter

olive oil,

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

tomato paste

coriander

allspice

beef or chicken stock,

ale or beer (nonalcoholic is fine)

rosemary

carrots, sliced

cider vinegar

chives,

Flaky sea salt,

Season the beef all over with salt and pepper. Set aside while you prepare the onions.

Peel the onions. Cut 2 of them in half root to stem, then thinly slice them crosswise into half-moons. Cut the third onion, root to stem, into 1/2-inch wedges.

Dust the beef cubes lightly with flour. Heat butter and 1 tablespoon oil in a large Dutch oven or other pot over medium-high. Add beef, in batches taking care not to crowd the pan, and sear until it’s good and dark all over, 5 to 6 minutes per batch. Transfer beef cubes to a bowl as they brown. Add more oil and adjust heat if necessary to prevent burning.

Stir in sliced onions and raise heat to medium-high if you lowered it. Cook until pale golden brown and soft, 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant and lightly golden at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Make a well in the center of the onions, then stir in tomato paste, coriander and allspice; cook, stirring until paste is darkened, 1 minute. Stir in stock, ale, 1 cup water and rosemary sprig. Return beef and any juices to the pot and bring to a simmer. Partly cover the pot and simmer gently for 45 minutes.

Give the beef a stir, then add onion wedges. Simmer for 15 minutes, then stir in carrots and continue to simmer until the meat, onions and carrots are tender, 30 to 45 minutes longer.

If the sauce seems thin, use a slotted spoon to transfer meat and vegetables to a platter; cover with foil to keep warm. Discard the rosemary. Return pot with liquid to stove and simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Taste and add more salt and vinegar if you like. Spoon sauce over meat and garnish with chives, flaky sea salt and more black pepper.

Cheddar Ale Soup with Chili Cheese Popcorn.

sweet onion (finely chopped)

jalapeno

rib celery (chopped)

garlic (minced

pale ale (divided)

chicken broth

flour

heavy cream

cheddar cheese (shredded)

smoked gruyere cheese (shredded)

pepper

green onions (chopped, for serving)

popcorn

crushed tortilla chips (lightly crushed)

butter (melted)

chili powder

cumin

salt and pepper (to taste)

In a large soup pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until the bacon is crisp, 5-8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate. Add the onions and a pinch of brown sugar into the pot used to cook the bacon. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened. At this point, slowly add in some of the beer, let it cook into the onions, add more and continue to cook. Do this until you have used 1/2 cup of beer or until the onions are caramelized to your liking and the beer has evaporated. Add the celery, jalapeño, garlic and thyme to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring, until softened, 8 minutes. Add the other half of the remaining beer and cook until reduced by half, 5 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups of chicken broth and bring to a simmer.

In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Slowly and carefully whisk this roux into the soup until incorporated and bring to a simmer. Cook the soup until thickened, about 8-10 minutes. Add the heavy cream, cheddar cheese + gruyere cheese and the remaining beer. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, about 15 minutes. Stir in half of the bacon and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the chili cheese popcorn, the remaining crumbled bacon and green onions.

To make the chili cheese popcorn whisk together the butter, chili powder, cumin and a good pinch of salt and pepper. Place the popcorn and crushed tortilla chips on a baking sheet and pour the butter mixture over the popcorn. Toss well. Sprinkle the popcorn with cheese and bake five minutes. Remove from the oven and serve warm with the soup.

Chicken pie topped with potato & thyme crust

Tbsp flavourless oil

leeks,

carrot, finely chopped

celery stalks, finely chopped

garlic cloves, crushed

leaves

skinless chicken thighs,

Tbsp plain flour (gluten-free if necessary)

white wine

chicken stock

tsp wholegrain mustard

Dijon mustard

Tbsp double cream

nutmeg

To taste sea salt

1kg small desirée potatoes, thinly sliced

butter, melted

thyme, leaves picked

To taste sea salt and black pepper

Heat the butter and oil in a heavy-based pan, add the leeks, carrot, celery, garlic and thyme and cook for 2 minutes until starting to soften.

Add the chicken and cook gently without colouring for up to 10 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 minute.

Pour in the wine and stir continuously, making sure that the wine reduces and the sauce thickens. Pour in the chicken stock one-third at a time, stirring continuously and making sure the sauce is thick and smooth before adding the next batch.

Add the bay leaf, cover the pan and cook gently for 1 hour.

Stir in the mustards, cream and freshly grated nutmeg to taste. Add salt if needed.

Preheat the oven to 180 ̊C (350 ̊F) Gas 4.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to the boil, add the thinly sliced potatoes and boil for 12 minutes, take off the heat and drain well. Spread them out in a layer to allow the excess water to evaporate off.

Place the chicken mixture into a pie dish 24cm in diameter and carefully lay the potatoes on top of the filling, overlapping them slightly, like a pie top.

Brush the potatoes with a little melted butter, season with salt and pepper and top with the thyme. Cook in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes. The pie is ready once the potatoes are cooked and golden brown.

Here is the the beauty of wassail: more than just another nice-tasting drink, it’s part of a long (if largely forgotten) tradition of celebrating the life that winter can seem determined to snuff out. It’s a fragrant, warming concoction mixed in bulk (this recipe makes 12 servings) and set out for sharing, all but demanding that you call in a crowd. There’s really no such thing as wassail for one. A punch bowl is good for this, although you can also ladle it into individual cups. (The New York Times)

Wassail

brown sugar

dark brown sugar

Madeira

(22 4/10 ounces) London Pride Ale

(48 ounces) Strongbow English Cider

apple cider

cloves

allspice berries

cinnamon sticks, 2 inches long

orange peel, 2 inches long

ginger

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place apples in a 9-by-9-inch glass baking dish. Spoon light and dark brown sugar into center of each apple, dividing sugar evenly among them. Pour 1 cup water into bottom of dish and bake until tender, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, pour Madeira, ale and English and apple ciders into a large slow cooker or heavy pot. Place cloves, allspice, cinnamon and orange peel into cheesecloth, tie shut with kitchen twine and add to slow cooker or pot along with ginger and nutmeg. Set slow cooker to medium, or place pot over low heat. Gently simmer for about 1 hour, while apples bake, or longer if desired.

Add liquid from the baking dish and stir to combine. Using tongs, transfer apples into slow cooker or pot to garnish. Reduce heat. Ladle hot wassail into heatproof cups to serve.

Cook a classic ale casserole with chunks of meaty beef

Carbonnade flamande

1¼ kg stewing beef,

Trappist ale

garlic cloves,

bay leaves

flour,

pancetta

onions, sliced

leek, sliced

beef stock

bouquet garni

parsley,

Marinate the beef overnight in the ale with the garlic and bay leaves. The next day, drain the beef from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Pat the meat dry with kitchen paper and toss it in the seasoned flour until evenly coated. Shake off any excess flour.

Heat 2 tbsp of the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole until hot. Fry the beef in 3-4 batches for about 5 minutes per batch, stirring occasionally, until it is a rich golden brown all over. You may need to add a little more oil between batches but make sure it is hot again before adding the next batch. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside. Don’t worry if the bottom of the casserole is starting to brown, this all adds to the flavour of the finished dish.

Lower the heat to medium and fry the pancetta in the casserole for 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden. Scoop the pancetta out with a slotted spoon and set aside with the beef.

Preheat the oven to fan 140C/conventional 160C/gas 3. Tip the carrots, onions and leek into the casserole and fry, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown – this takes about 12 minutes. Spoon in the tomato purée and continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add the beef and pour in the reserved marinade. Bring to a simmer, scraping any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan, then add all the beef stock and bouquet garni to the casserole. Season with salt and pepper and bring everything to the boil. Remove from the heat. Cover with a lid and cook in the oven for 2 hours, stirring once halfway through. (The carbonnade may now be left to cool and frozen for up to 1 month. Add 100ml/31⁄2 fl oz more stock to the sauce when reheating.) When the beef is ready, taste for seasoning and add more salt and pepper if you think it needs it. Scatter the chopped parsley over the top and serve straight from the casserole, with creamy mash or jacket potatoes and buttered greens or cabbage.

This hearty, slow-cooked stew is easy to throw together and creates very little washing up. 

Beef and ale stew

groundnut oil

onions, finely chopped

carrots,

celery sticks,

tin good-quality plum tomatoes

tsp black peppercorns

tbsp flour (seasoned with ½ tsp cayenne pepper)

500 grams/1lb 2 ounces diced braising steak

500 milliliters/17fl oz pale ale

Slow cooked tender beef and beautifully flavoursome veg, this dish is amazing easy-to-cook comfort food!

Slow Cooker Beef and Ale Stew

g beef

500 ml ale

carrots (sliced lengthways and roughly chopped)

celery (chopped)

leek (chopped)

onion (roughly chopped)

g mushrooms (chopped)

tbsp flour

garlic

tsp sugar

tomato puree

Worcestershire sauce

tbsp oil

tsp black pepper

Sear the beef in a hot pan in a little oil. Season well with salt and pepper and coat in 1 tbsp of flour. Transfer to the slow cooker.

Pour the ale into the same pan and cook for a few minutes on a high heat to cook off the alcohol then remove from the heat.

Add all of the chopped vegetables into the slow cooker, then add the remaining 3tbsp of flour, garlic, thyme and sugar, and stir to ensure an even coating.

Add the ale, beef stock, mustard, tomato puree and bay leaves, stir well and cook for 4 hours on high or 6 hours on low.

Once cooked check the seasoning, and add a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

https://embed.mediavine.com/videos/h7qzuz90gvxrrka3ul7p

Slow cooked tender chunks of beef, malty ale gravy and beautifully flavoursome veg, this stew is amazing easy to cook comfort food!

A staple of Manhattan's East Village, Emma Freud's cheddar and pale ale pasta dish is the ultimate comfort food

Beer mac 'n' cheese

garlic cloves, grated

spinach

milk

milliliters pale ale

macaroni

cheddar, grated

mozzarella, grated

Heat the grill to its highest setting. In a flameproof casserole dish or metal frying pan, melt the butter and fry the garlic for 2 mins. Add the spinach and cook until it wilts, about 2 mins. Pour in the milk and beer and bring to a gentle bubble. Add the macaroni and stir intermittently for around 20 mins until the pasta is cooked and covered in sauce.

Stir in the cheddar and half the mozzarella. When it starts to melt, sprinkle the remaining mozzarella on top and put it in the oven for around 7-10 mins or until browned on top and sensational underneath.

This brown ale and cheese bread is great served with onion soup.

Beer and cheese bread

yeast

450 milliliters/16fl oz brown ale,

520 grams/1lb 2½oz strong white bread

1½tsp salt

1½tsp mustard powder

eggs,

fennel seeds

free-range egg, white only,

This is a red ale with moderate carbonation, a slight bit of tartness -- but not enough to make it a true sour -- and with strong aromas of juniper, with a backnote of pine. I am still primarily an extract brewer, but feel free to modify this to be an all-grain ale if you want to. One alternative in terms of malt is to use Munich instead of Maris Otter, which I did in the first incarnation of this beer. Note that the yeast on my juniper berries is slow and steady, so you should not need a blow-off tube.

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Top 12 ale recipes from across the web

The most viewed ale recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

How to make steak and ale pie

Ale barley lamb shanks

Hearty Beef Stew With Red Onions an...

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Chicken pie topped with potato & th...

Wassail

Carbonnade flamande

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The most viewed ale recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine