Slow Cooker Kalua Pork

It all started for me several years ago.  My first trip to Hawaii, Maui to be exact.  In the company of good friends sitting comfortably on a tiki torch studded wooden patio, I was mesmerized by the sun setting into the ocean.  My plastic fork poised and at the ready, I finally met with destiny... Kalua Pork.  After eating the famed Hawaiian perfection of pig, I came home only to find myself in the grip of frequent and fierce cravings.  Recreating this dish righteously would require a huge amount of time, money, pit digging, etc.  However, I think I've found a way to come close enough in flavor to satisfy my cravings, and with minimal effort.  It's only an imitation, but it's damn good all the same.

The word kalua literally means "to cook in an underground oven."  Real-deal kalua pork is very slowly cooked in a pit using coals, stones, Hawaiian salt, black pepper and banana leaves.  Simplicity+ingenuity.  Its buried for 12 hours, then dug up and dug into.  The kalua method's specific nuances are what makes the results so ridiculously awesome.  I don't have the time, money, or energy to do all of this by myself.  So, I use a crock pot and some tricks to try and mimic what the kalua method brings to the party. 



After a couple tries,   I think I've got it down.  This time, however, I'm going to add a little something extra into the mix... beer.
 
For this I definitely wanted to use a beer from Hawaii.  First choice was one of my favorite beers I drank while traveling on the Big Island and Maui- CoCoNut Porter from Maui Brewing Co.  It pours dark black, with a thick tan head.  The nose is full of toasted coconut, and the body is a silky swirl of notes of chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, more toasted coconut, and a little spice kick at the end from the hops.  As it warms up, the chocolate notes become even thicker.  Multi-layered and incredibly tasty, I knew this would make a great beer to cook with.


Alright... Let's cook!

Ingredients:
1 6-7 pound bone in pork shoulder
1 and 1/2 tbl. Hawaiian Sea Salt (2 tbls if you want it a bit saltier)
2-3 tbl liquid smoke (to taste)
3 CoConut Porters (1 for cooking, the rest for drinking)
3 medium ripe bananas

Sauce:
1/2 can of CoCoNut Porter
1 tbl cooking oil (peanut oil is what I used- better flavor)
1 tbl brown sugar
1 tbl sweet soy
1/2 lime juiced
1 small chopped jalapeno
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 tbl finely chopped ginger root
1 tbl finely chopped fresh garlic

Servings: Approximately 10
Time: Depends on you.  Add 1/2 hour (for prep) to however long you plan slow cooking.  The sauce is made during the last hour of cooking.

1.  Take a fork and poke holes on all sides of the pork shoulder.  Coat with liquid smoke (since no coals were harmed in the making of this dish), then rub in the Hawaiian salt all over.  Make sure and use actual Hawaiian salt.  It's fairly easy to find, and is essential for getting the flavor right.















2.  Pour 1/2 of one can of beer in the bottom of your slow cooker (save the rest for the sauce), and put the pork shoulder in the beer.  Place the bananas on top of the pork.  This will mimic the effect banana leaves have in the Kalua way of cooking this dish, which is key.  You want the bananas to be stable so they will stay in place, but also make sure they aren't being smooshed by the lid.  Make double sure the lid shuts completely. 

3.  I slow cooked it on low for 9.5  hours. 



4.  For the final hour of cooking, take the pork out and shred with two forks.  Put the shredded pork back in the crockpot and cook for an additional hour in its juices.  In the past I stopped after this step, and was very happy with the results!  Pair it with simple rice, and it's simply delicious.  This time however, I decided to go further and make a garlic ginger beer sauce.  So, before returning the shredded pork to the crockpot, remove and reserve 1 cup of the juices.  Then, while you cook the shredded pork for an additional hour...


5.  In a sauce pan heat 1 tbl of oil to medium high.  Cook the onions for approx. 5 minutes until tender.  Add the garlic, ginger, jalapeno, and cook for 1-2 minutes until aromatic.  Pour the 1 cup of reserved beer and pork drippings into the pan.  Add the brown sugar, the rest of the can of beer that was partially poured into the crockpot, bring it to a boil and then reduce to a good simmer.  Simmer for approximately 15 minutes until the sauce is thick and coats the back of a spoon. 


6.  Carefully pour contents of the sauce pan into a blender, add the cilantro, fresh lime juice, and sweet soy.  On pulse mode, puree until completely smooth (Hold down the lid!  When blending hot liquids, they tend to try and explode out the top of the blender!).  Return the pureed sauce to the pan and keep warm until the pork is done.

The pork once again was fantastic!  Despite this being the first attempt, the sauce turned out great!  Bright, slightly sweet, slightly salty, slightly spicy, and the flavors from the beer really came through.  Lightly drizzled over the pork and rice, well, it was dynamite.  I had friends over who brought Hawaiian sweet rolls, and I also made kicked up mac salad.  The mac salad was some of the best I've ever tasted (message me if you'd like to have the recipe).

What did we learn today?  Well, that the goodness of Kalua pork can be mimicked without all the hard work and huge expense!  Give this recipe a try, have some friends over, and don't forget the beer!  

Mahalo!
The Drunken Chef

Pork Green Chile

     I was reading about the history of Mexico, and came across some interesting info regarding one of their regional contributions to the world of cuisine.  A primary building block, the chili pepper, is the fruit from the plants of the genus Capsicum, a member of the Nightshade family.  These peppers originated in the South Americas and have been part of the human diet for at least 6000 years!  After Columbus...ahem..."fostered" the trade of plants and animals (and humans and communicable diseases), chili peppers quickly found their way across the globe.  Thanks to the capsaicin they contain, chili peppers have long been prized for their many uses: medicinal benefits as a topical analgesic and joint anti-inflammatory, a non-lethal weapon, and crop defense against marauding animals are just a few.  Nutritionally speaking, these wonder fruits are chock full of vitamin C, B vitamins, potassium, magnesium, and iron!   

 

     The history research led to recipe research.  Recipe research made me hungry...and thirsty!  Although I love pork green chili, I've never made it myself.  So, I went out to grab ingredients and picked up a six pack on my way home.  Of course I wanted to pair this meal with a beer that would have some connection to green chili.  The liquor store I stopped at didn't have a great selection of Mexican beer and I didn't want to use Corona or Tecate.  Since the chili pepper is closely associated with Mexico, and pilsners go VERY well with spicy food, I found a beer that I thought would work well enough: Montezuma's Cerveceria Cuauhtemoc Bohemia pilsner.  This beer has a slightly hazy, straw color.  The body is light with very a mild floral and slightly spicy character from the hops.  The malt build is also quite mild, but the finish is very crisp and dry.  Definitely not awesome, but it's an ok "thirsty" beer.  In the future I think I'll use Negro Modelo instead.

 

  

Let's cook!

 

Time: Prep time is approx. 5 hours.  Cooking time can be as little as 4 hours.  If you can wait, 5-6 hours is better.

 

Servings:  Approx. 8 servings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients:

4 tomatillos halved

3 Anaheims halved

4 jalepenos halved

4 poblanos halved

2 small cans of Hatch green chilies (freshly roasted green chilies would be far better if you have the time- but I didn't)

1 onion cut into quarters

1 whole head of garlic with the top sliced off, exposing all cloves

1 15oz can of diced tomatoes drained

1 pork butt 2-3 pounds, cut into bite size pieces

3 cups chicken broth

1 bottle of beer

5 tbs flour

3 tbs oregano

3 tbs cumin

3tbs chili powder

Salt and Pepper to taste
A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce

 

1.  Set your oven to 425'.  Place all of your halved veggies face down on a lightly oiled roasting pan.  Drizzle some more oil over them, and place in oven.

 

2.  Heat a large cast iron pot to medium high heat, and brown the pork pieces in 1-2 tbs of oil.  Brown in batches if necessary.  Don't crowd the pot, or you won't get a good sear.  Once all of the meat is browned, remove to a large bowl.

 

3.  When your veggies are done roasting (you want some good brown color spots), place on a cutting board.  Put all tomatillos and approximately 1/3 of your peppers, and chilies in a blender and pulse till very smooth.  Roughly chop the rest of the chilies and onion into small pieces.  Squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves and chop very finely. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.  Heat your pot to medium and add the chopped onions and garlic.  Sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic, stirring slowly,   Cook for 1-2 minutes, then add the broth and beer while scraping the beautiful brown stuck bits off the bottom of the pan.  Bring to a boil, stirring till slightly thickened.  Drop the heat to a simmer.

 

5.  Drop in your browned pork (I chose to smash and tear the pork pieces before adding them back to the pot), tomatoes, canned green chilies, chopped roasted veggies, and pureed roasted veggies. 

 

6.  Add the spices and simmer on low for at least 4 hours (I did for 5), stirring occasionally.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     Your pork green chili will be dynamite over rice, eggs, potatoes, or enchiladas.  I had it in a bowl garnished with cilantro and with warm corn tortillas for dipping, plus a side of black beans with avocado and sour cream.  If you come up with another good use, let me know!

 

    

 

Cheers!

 

The Drunken Chef

 

 

Raspberry Chocolate Covered Bacon With Walnuts

So... I REALLY like bacon.  I mean a lot.  So, whenever possible, I try to find a home for it my cooking.  Most people think of bacon as being solely suited for savory applications.  However, sweet and salty get along quite well.  Which brings me to chocolate and bacon.  The first time I tried these two great tastes together, I didn't anticipate how good the combo would actually be. 

A couple years ago I decided to make an inaugural batch for a  dinner party.  I thought the finished product was good, but figured it would sound too weird to garner a mass sampling when lined up against more standard fare.  Surprisingly, most people jumped right in, and it was a big hit!  Recently, I made a few tweaks for some Christmas parties, and now I think the recipe is pretty dialed in. 

One change in particular that I made was to incorporate raspberry ale (pork, chocolate, and raspberries... pretty sure this knocks out a big swath of the food pyramid in one bite).  Right now, I have a lot of Frambozen available, and I love cooking with that beer.  A brown ale fermented with Pacific Northwest raspberries, makes this a solid beer.  Any decent raspberry ale will do, a true Belgian Framboise would probably be even better.


Ingredients:




1# thick cut bacon
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 2/3 cup white sugar
1 cup milk
1/4 cup of raspberry ale
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
crushed walnuts


Let's get cooking:

1.  Cut every piece of bacon into 1/2s, while getting a skillet hot on medium high heat.  Cook every piece of bacon until VERY crispy.  This is important for good texture.  I felt like my first batch was too chewy.  Drain each batch on paper towels. 

2.  While the bacon is hanging out, place a foil lined baking tray in the freezer (another trick I developed from trial and error).  Then, ccombine cocoa, sugar, milk, and beer in a bowl and mix well.  Pour into a sauce pan and bring to a boil, constantly stirring.  Let boil 1 minute, and if it doesn't seem thick enough, add a little more cocoa.  Turn down to very low heat and add vanilla.

3.  Dip each piece of the bacon, and coat about 2/3 in chocolate.  Place all pieces on the cooled baking tray. 

4.  Once you have every piece of bacon dipped and placed on the tray, sprinkle every piece with walnuts.  Place the tray in the refrigerator, until shortly before serving.

Looking for a dessert that's a little off the beaten path?  Give these a try!  Take 'em to a party, and I promise you'll be surprised at how quickly they disappear.

Cheers!

The Drunken Chef

Grilled IPA Peanut Chicken Satays

     The History of the IPA, or India Pale Ale style of beer is a fascinating one.  This beer has traits that were determined by function, and were designed solely to fix, what was a very big problem for Britain.  As a result, this beer helped shape the course of history. 
     To remain a force in the East Indies, Britain needed to supply their troops, as well as an ever increasing transplanted citizenry with beer. Those in positions of power knew that the cultural and healthful aspects of beer were crucial to cohesion and maintaining their colonies.  In fact, the troops were given a ration of 1 gallon/day of beer.  The problem: at that time, the styles and means of brewing preferred by the British did not exist in India, and trips to these colonies usually consisted of 3-5 months at sea which caused the traditional dark, sweet beer to become flat, stale, and unpalatable. 

     Through ingenuity, a solution was discovered.  Greater application of hops and higher alcohol were found to inhibit spoiling, and acted as a preservative allowing the beer to last for longer periods of time.  Bow Brewery in East London created a pale ale with a significantly increased amount of boiling hops, the skilled use of "dry hopping," plus higher ABVs.  This ensured that the beer would survive the journey across the seas, and become a major success factor for the emerging British dominance in the East Indies.

     In light of this history, I thought I would make an Indian style dish incorporating the beer that was originally brewed for India.

     For this recipe, I decided to try a beer I've never had.  Based on a little advice, I went with Bridgeport's IPA.  This is Oregon's oldest brewery, and their IPA more closely resembles an Old World IPA (at least compared to the current American versions) in terms of bitterness, malt balance, and hop selection.  This is the style I prefer.  It has a good citrus nose, great notes of pine and grapefruit, beautiful lacing on the glass... wait, sorry, got distracted... let's get cookin'!

Ingredients:

2-3 lbs chicken breasts cut into 1 inch cubes (can substitute pork or shrimp)

1 cup IPA for cooking, a couple IPAs for drinking

2 tbl crystalized ginger

1 lemon grass stalk chopped in 1/2 inch pieces

5 garlic cloves minced

3 Thai chili peppers minced

1 cup light coconut milk

1/2 cup unsweetened creamy organic peanut butter

2 tbls fresh cilantro minced, 1 tbl fresh cilantro whole leaves

2 tbl low sodium soy sauce

2 limes

1 bunch of scallions lightly coated in olive oil, salt and pepper

1 tbl honey

Sriracha

Kosher salt

Cracked pepper

Peanuts for garnish
Jasmine rice prepared according to directions

Prep Time: 20 mins, plus marinade time

Cook Time:  25 mins

1.  In a blender mix your IPA, peanut butter, honey, coconut milk, minced cilantro, ginger, lemongrass, garlic, chilis, soy, salt, pepper, and juice of 1 lime.  Place your chicken cubes in a gallon size freezer bag, and pour in your mixture.  Let this marinate in the fridge for at least a few hours, up to overnight.

2.  Light a chimney starter full of charcoal.  While you're waiting for the coals to be ready, take a couple pulls off your beer, and then thread the chicken pieces onto skewers (soaked bamboo work, but trust me- metal skewers are the way to go).  This is also a good time to prepare your rice.

3.  Pour reserve marinade into a cast iron skillet (or sauce pan).  Over high heat bring to a boil, then back down to a strong simmer, stirring slowly.  Reduce down by half, or until it is thick enough to easily stick to a spoon.  Add Sriracha to taste.

4.  Your coals should be just about ready.  Have a drink, and then spread them out evenly.  Place the grill grate on, clean it, and oil it with a paper towel.  Next, place your skewers on the grill.  Using your reduced marinade, brush a thick coat on the chicken.  Cook these for 7-10 minutes, flipping them half way.

5.  In the meantime, put a piece of foil on the grill, and cook your scallions on this in a single layer.  These should take about the same amount of time as the chicken.  You want to turn them half way, and they should have some char. 

6.  Once cooked, place your rice in bowls (Udon noodles are great, too), then add chicken pieces.  Cut the scallions into 1 inch segments and sprinkle them in the bowls.  Drizzle with remaining peanut sauce, sprinkle peanuts, add a squirt of lime, garnish with cilantro leaves, add more Sriracha if you're like me and dig the heat.  Make sure you have some cold IPA nearby, and dig in!

This was another one of those dishes, which are ridiculously easy to put together and cook, but will taste like you went to a ton of work.  Without rice, these make a dynamite appetizer.

Be sure to hit me up if you have any questions or suggestions!

Cheers!

The Drunken Chef 

Kyle's Grilled Rueben Pizza

     Grilled pizza was introduced in the United States at the Al Forno Restaurant in Providence, Rhode Island, by the owners Johanne Killeen and George Germon in 1980.  Although it was inspired by a misunderstanding that confused a wood-fired brick oven with a grill, grilled pizza did exist prior to 1980, both in Italy, and in Argentina where it is known as "pizza a la parrilla."

     According to legend, the Rueben sandwich was created by Arnold Rueben of "Rueben's Restaurant and Delicatessen."  The story goes- One night one of Charlie Chaplin's leading ladies came into the deli and said "Make me a sandwich, I'm so hungry I could eat a brick."  Ol' Rueben said he went to "clowning around for the dame," cut a rye loaf on the bias, piled on a ton of corned beef, then threw on some saurkraut and russian dressing.  Supposedly, she wolfed down the whole thing, and word got around about a great new sandwich.  The Rueben special was born.

Grilled pizza, and a legendary sandwich...  I'd heard of these two magical foods being spliced together, and so I decided to give a go for myself, with a couple personal tweaks.  And of course, I wanted to bring beer into the mix!

Ingredients:

Crust (makes enough for two 12 inch pizzas- you can freeze the other half for next time):

• 1 1/2 cups of warm beer (I used Fat Tire-it's biscuity flavor is perfect for pizza crust).  Heat the beer to about lukewarm before using.  You want it warm for the yeast, but not hot.
• 1 package of active dry yeast (I used one that was labled "best for pizza crust").
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
• 2 cups wheat flour
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 tea kosher salt
• 1 tea sugar
• 1 tea clover honey

Pizza Ingredients (enough for one 12 inch pizza):

• Olive Oil (enough to brush the crust, and grill grate)
• Cormeal (enought to sprinkle on whatever you use to transport the pizza to and from the grill)
• 1/2 cup 1000 Island dressing
• 2 cups shredded swiss cheese
• 6 oz sliced deli corned beef cut into small strips
• 1 cup sauerkraut- drained as much as possible
• 1/3 cup chopped dill pickles
• 1 tea caraway seeds

Prep Time: 2hours 20mins (much of it is combining and rise time for the dough)

Cook Time: 35 minutes

So, right off the bat, I'll tell ya- I don't have the patience to knead dough and create it from scratch by hand.  For me, the bread maker is the way to go (If you don't have a bread maker, there are easy to find recipes for using a mixer, or if you're patient, by hand.  I'll leave that for you to decide).

Alright... Let's crack a beer, and get cookin'!

1.  Mix your dough ingredients together in the bread machine, making sure you add all of the wet ingredients first, next the dry ingredients, and then create a small indentation to place the yeast.  Start the cycle.  It will take about an hour and a half, so this recipe definitely takes some planning.  Once the cycle is over, punch down the dough, and let it rise back up (should take about 15 minutes).  Do this a couple times.  The whole process will take about 2 1/2 hours.  Trust me, it's worth it, rather than using a premade frozen dough.

2.  If you use a charcoal grill like me (definitely the preferred method for this recipe), get the coals going in a chimney starter.

3.  Chop, measure, and gather up the pizza ingredients.

4.  Sprinkle flour on whatever surface you plan on working your dough.  Using your hands, shape the pizza however you want.  Let it sit for 5 minutes, then spread it out again, if needed.  Don't bother making a raised rim around the edges.  Thin or thick, either will work fine.  Sprinkle cornmeal on a pan or pizza stone, or whatever you're using to transport your pizza.  Carefully place your pizza dough on it.  Now its time to check the grill.

5.  Once the coals are ready, clean your grate and brush it with a folded paper towl lightly soaked with olive oil to prevent sticking.  Carefully slide your pizza dough onto the grate (the cornmeal makes this easy), and close the lid.  Let it cook for 2 minutes.  Meanwhile, have some beer.

6.  After 2 minutes your crust will have some bubbles, or will be very puffy overall.  This is a good sign.  Lift up half of the crust with tongs, and check to be sure it's getting a light char.  If it has, carefully slide the pizza stone/tray/what-have-you underneath, and remove from the grill.  If it hasn't charred much, wait another minute or two.  Once removed from the grill, flip your crust char side up.  Lightly coat the top and edges with olive oil.  Now it gets fun.  Have a drink, and reflect on how well this is going. 

7.  Spread 1/2 of the dressing over the entire top of the crust.  Next, sprinkle with 1/2 of the swiss cheese.  Arrange all of the corned beef on top of the cheese, then drizzle the rest of the dressing.  Throw on all of the sauerkraut, and then the remaining cheese.  Lastly, sprinkle on the caraway seeds.

8.  Time to get this bad boy back on the grill.  Carefully slide your pizza back on the grill, and cover.  Let it cook for 2 minutes.  Same drill as before, using tongs  to check the underside for char.  If there is some char and the cheese is melted, game on (if not, give it a couple more minutes).  Slide the pizza off the grate onto your stone/tray/what-have-you.

9.  Sprinkle on the chopped pickles.  Let your pizza sit for 5 minutes, then slice it up and dig in.

This was the first time I've tried to make this, and it turned out even better than I had hoped.  I think the above method of grilling crust/pizza is solid.  As far as staying true to the sandwich, all the toppings are straight from a Rueben, and the wheat crust and caraway seeds helped mimick rye bread very well.  The beer definitely added another great layer of flavor to the crust. 

Considering how easy it was to put together, I'll definitely make this again.  Give it a try, and let me know if you have any questions, or changes that worked well!

Cheers!

The Drunken Chef

Beer Steamed Salmon and Brussels Sprouts

     Ever have that experience where you reluctantly try a food you absolutely hated as a kid, only to find out that you now really like it?  I had that experience not too long ago with brussels sprouts at a local restaurant.  Since then I make them frequently, and I think this recipe is my favorite expression of the little buggers.  They make a great side dish to a wide variety of meals, but for this entry I decided to pair them with salmon.  Both the sprouts and salmon are steamed in... you guessed it... beer!


     For this recipe I decided to use a Lager  (Shift from New Belgium).  This has become one of my new favorite beers.  It's an extremely sessionable, crisp pale lager with citrus and floral notes, and has a finish that is very dry. Besides making for a great beer to drink, these qualities make for a great beer to cook with.  If you don't have access to Shift, or want to try something different, any light bodied (but big flavored) beer would work. 



Ingredients:
1 lbs brussels sprouts (ends trimmed) each cut in half lengthwise
6 strips of thick, delicious bacon chopped and uncooked
2 shallots sliced (I effed up at the store and forgot shallots, so had to use red onion.  Shallots are better, but red onion worked fine)
1 large, or 2 small salmon filets
1 jalapeno (or serrano for more heat) sliced
2 tbl butter
2 tbls parmesan cheese
1 tbl balsamic vinegar
fresh bunch dill chopped
crushed red pepper
sea salt to taste
cracked pepper to taste

Prep Time:
Approx 5-10 minutes

Cook Time:
Approx 1/2 hour


First, crack your beer and pour into your favorite mug.  Now... let's cook!



1.  Preheat your cast iron skillet (yes, once again I'm going to tell you this is the best type of pan, but you don't have to use one for this recipe) to med. high heat. 

2.  Cooked chopped bacon until slightly crisp.  Give a good stir.

3.  Now toss in 1 tbl butter, 1 sliced shallot and slowly stir until softened, about 3 minutes.  Scrape at the bottom of the pan, to kick up any stuck bacon molecules.

4.  Next place sprouts in pan.  Put as many as possible face down.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then leave them alone for 4-5 minutes.  Give a good stir and let sit for another 3-4 minutes.

5.  Alright, pour 12 oz of Shift (or whatever beer you chose) into the pan.  Raise the heat until you get to almost a full boil, then back the heat down to a good simmer.  Stir occasionally, until the beer is reduced to a glaze.  This will take about 15-20 minutes. 











In the meantime, let's prepare the salmon...

1.  Using a different pan, heat to med high and cook 3 slices worth of chopped bacon on med high heat, till crisp. 

2.  Add 1 tbl of butter, the sliced jalapeno or serrano, 1 sliced shallot, and chopped fresh dill.  Cook for 3-4 minutes, until shallot and the pepper is softened.  Stir occasionally.

3.  Pour in 4-6 oz of beer (enough to come about half way up the salmon filets, and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer, place your salmon in the pan skin side down, and sprinkle it with salt and pepper.



















4.  Cover the pan with a lid.  Steam for 3-4 minutes, flip the salmon, cover, and steam for 3-4 more minutes.  Check for doneness.  If you like your salmon a little more cooked, a couple more minutes should do it. 


Your salmon should be finished, and the brussels sprouts should also be wrapping up right about now.  Before scooping your sprouts, add 1 tbl of balsamic vinegar, sprinkle red pepper flakes, sprinkle the parmesan into the pan and stir a couple times.


There you have it.  What's that?  Not sure if you like brussel sprouts?  Make this dish and I promise you'll be converted.  I was.

Let me know if you have any questions, or variations that worked well.
Cheers!

The Drunken Chef

Guiness Braised Irish Stew With Colcannon

     St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17, and is the ascribed anniversary of the saint's death in the fifth century. The Irish have observed this as a religious holiday for over 1,000 years. On St. Patrick's Day, which falls during the Christian season of Lent, Irish families would attend church in the morning and celebrate in the afternoon. Lenten prohibitions against the consumption of meat  and alcohol were waived and people would dance, drink and feast.  The meal traditionally consisted of bacon, cabbage, and beer.

     So, today I thought we'd make something to celebrate St. Paddy's Day in a somewhat traditional fashion (I'm sharing this a couple days early, so that you can prepare this on the actual holiday).  This dish includes ingredients that were readily available to the Irish, and an integral part of their holiday feast and break from Lent.  The accompaniment to the stew, colcannon, is Ireland's traditional mashed potato dish made with bacon, milk, and cabbage or kale. 

As far as the beer... how can you make Irish Stew without Guiness?  This beer is Ireland's iconic dry stout, and people have been enjoying it for quite a while.  It's first incarnation was brewed by Arthur Guiness back in 1759!  Rich bodied, with flavors of roasted malt, caramel, and a hint of coffee notes... this beer makes one helluva stew. 

Ingredients:

Irish Stew:

2 cans of Guiness (one for cooking, one for drinking)

1 tbl vegetable oil

1 3lb beef chuck roast, trimmed, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.
2 tbls flour

1 1/2 cup onion chopped

1 to 1 1/2 cup carrot chopped

3 cloves garlic chopped

2 bay leaves

1 tea thyme leaves stripped

3 cloves garlic minced

2 tbls Worcestershire sauce

Fresh thyme for garnish
salt and pepper to taste

Colannon:

4 slices of cooked bacon chopped

2 lbs of potatoes, cut into chunks

2 cups cabbage thinly sliced

1/4 cup of sharp cheddar cheese shredded

1/4 cup of room temp milk

2 tbls butter warmed

2-3 tbls of fresh parsley minced

salt and pepper to taste

Prep time: 1/2 hour

Cook time: 1 1/2 hours

Servings: approx 8

Getting Started:

I like to have all of my ingredients lined up ahead of time, otherwise there is a good probability I'll forget something.  For example: cook your bacon, and set it on paper towels to absorb excess grease.  When cooled, chop them into small crumbles.  Chop your onion, carrot, and garlic.  Cut the potatoes into chunks, and make sure your pieces of beef are all bite size.  Strip the thyme leaves, mince the parsley, and have your spices at the ready.  This ensures that cooking process will go smoothly.

Alright, crack and pour your Guiness into a glass.  Dark, and roasty...watch the magic of the cascading beer as it... wait, I'm getting distracted... let's cook!

1.  Heat 2 tbls of oil in a dutch oven, over high heat (If you don't have a dutch oven, I strongly suggest that you get one.  I promise, they are worth every penny.  Nothing compares as far as heat distribution and heat retention).  Once very hot, start browning the beef in batches, removing each batch till the last one (and drain excess grease as you go).  We're doing this in batches, because you don't want to crowd the pot with too much meat, or it won't brown properly.  Keep it to basically one layer, or the meat will boil/steam instead of sear.  If necessary, drain excess grease as you go.  Be sure to sprinkle a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper with each round of meat.  When the meat is finished, return all of it to the pot, and sprinkle on the flour.  Stir to distribute the flour somewhat evenly. 

2.  Now stir in the onion, carrot, garlic, bay leaves, thyme, pepper, salt, and Worcestershire sauce.  Pour in a can of Guiness, and stir slowly while bringing the mixture to a boil.  Once at a boil, cover and place in the oven for 45 minutes.  Remove from the oven, stir, and put the pot back in for approx 45 more minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by about half or a little more.  I like my stew thick.


*If you don't have an oven safe pot, you can cook this on the stove top.  Let me know if you need directions on how to do this.*

3.  When you put the stew back in the oven after the first 45 minutes, it's a good time to start on the colcannon.  Put your potato chunks into a large pot with salted water.  Make sure the potatoes are completely submerged, and have an inch or two of water above them.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to med low.  Simmer for 20 minutes, then drain and set aside.



4.  Put the cabbage in a bowl with 2 tbls of water.  Microwave for 2 1/2 minutes, stir, then 2 1/2 minutes more.  Stove top- melt butter on med high heat, add cabbage and coat.  Add water and cover the pot.  Steam for 10-12 minutes of water to a boil.  We want it steamed, but not mushy. 

5.   Now place the potatoes into a mixing bowl.  Sprinkle on the cheese, add the butter, salt and pepper, and milk.  Using a mixer, slowly beat the potatoes until smooth and creamy.  Be careful to not over mix, this can cause the potatoes to become gluey.  Hand stir in the cabbage, bacon, and parsley. 

Now it's time to plate the awesomeness.  Take a good scoop of the potatoes and put it on a plate or bowl.  Make a mini bowl with potatoes, and fill it with the stew.  I like to keep this one simple, so the only thing I pair with this dish is some fresh thyme, a good crusty piece of bread.  Oh... and another Guiness.

This recipe may sound like a little work, but trust me, it's definitely worth the time and effort.  Next day stew leftovers will be even better than the first bowl.  Once you get a taste of this, you'll see why I make it year 'round, not just on the day we celebrate the beer 'O the Irish. 



Thanks for checking in!  And as always, if you have any questions or feedback, hit me up.


Cheers!
The Drunken Chef