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 

Beer Quote of the Day

"Filled with mingled cream and amber, I will drain that glass again. Such hilarious visions clamber through the chambers of my brain- quaintest thoughts come to life and fade away. Who cares how time advances? I am drinking ale today"- Edgar Allen Poe

Pork Loin With Beer Sauce (part 2)

     So, last time we built our marinade, added the pork loin and let it chill in the fridge overnight.  Now we're ready to roast it in the oven, and turn that marinade into a sauce. 

     I hope you saved a couple beers from yesterday!  You'll want one during the cooking process of the loin, and pairing this dish with a Warsteiner (or whichever beer you selected) will bring out the complimentary flavors.

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 tbls veg oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbl flour mixed with 2 tbls butter melted
1/4 cup of cream (or milk)

Makes about 8 servings

Getting Started:

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees, and heat a pan to medium high heat (if you have a cast iron skillet, it will work the best).

1.  Remove your pork tenderloin from the marinade, and pat it dry with a paper towel.  Be sure to keep the marinade handy.  We're going to use that to make a great sauce later. 

2.  Add 2 tbls of vegetable oil to your pan, and using tongs, place the loin in the pan (if the loin is too large to fit, its definitely ok to cut it into two pieces, and sear in batches).  Sprinkle on some salt and cracked pepper, and sear each side for about 1-2 minutes.  Be sure to let each side get color, but not burned.  Searing the meat, contrary to popular belief, does not "seal in the juices."  What it does do for us, is carmelize the surface, intensifying the flavor.  When you're finished searing, don't wash that pan just yet!  We'll use the brown bits stuck to the bottom to add more flavor to the sauce.

3.  Place your beautifully seared pork loin onto a roasting rack in a pan.  If you don't have a roasting rack, no worries.  A baking sheet with a rim will work fine. 

4.  Place your pan or rack on the middle shelf of your oven, and set the timer for 45 mins.  Flip the loin halfway. 

*The cooking time is of course, approximate and depends on your oven size and efficiency.  You will want to reach an internal temp of approximately 155 degrees (a meat thermometer is the only way to accurately check the temp; these are inexpensive and invaluable).  If the temp reading is 10+ degrees less than 155, put the loin back in the oven (check again in 10 mins).  If you're within 5 degrees, you're good to go.  Keep in mind, that while the meat rests after the oven time, it will climb a few degrees.*



5.  Once you reach approx. 155 degrees, place your pork loin on a cutting board, and let it rest for 5-10 minutes.  By doing this little trick, the juices will redistribute and create a MUCH juicier and flavorful loin.  While you're letting it rest, let's make the sauce.

6.  In the pan you used to sear the meat, add the reserved marinade, any pan drippings, and the butter/flour mixture.  Heat this all over medium high heat, while using a metal whisk to scrape the bottom to loosen any flakes of caramalized meat.  Once it starts to thicken remove the pan from the heat, and then mix in the cream.  This will take approx 7-10 minutes

Alright.  The only thing left to do is carve your perfectly cooked pork loin, and spoon as much or as little sauce as you want over the medallions.  Creamy garlic mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus are my favorite pairing with this dish. 

Now, you may be thinking "that's a lot of meat."  But, warmed up it makes GREAT leftovers.  Another option is to cut it into bite size pieces to go over buttered noodles with parmesan and peas.  Slice it thin, and you have the makings of an awesome sandwich.  Plus, this can be stored away in the freezer for several months.  One last piece of advice- don't toss out the extra sauce!  It's of course great for the warmed up pork loin, but it is also great on grilled shrimp.  This is as simple as coating shrimp in a ziplock or tupperware, and placing them on the grill for 3-4 minutes per side.





Next time I'll be sharing a St. Paddy's worthy recipe for Irish beer braised beef stew and colcannon.  Be sure to click "join" to follow my blog, and as always, if you have any questions, or variations that worked well for you, I'd like to hear about it.


Cheers!
The Drunken Chef

 

Marinated Pork Loin With Beer Sauce (part 1)

***Marinated Pork Loin, With Beer Sauce***

(Part 1)

Recently, I was researching a few colloquialisms that are relevant to the world of beer and food.  In particular, I stumbled across "Honeymoon."  One of the etymological theories for this word suggests that it may originate from medieval Europe. Apparently in some regions, it was a tradition to supply a newly married couple with enough mead (kind of a cross between wine and beer, made with honey) for a full month, to promote happiness and fertility. 

This brought to mind one of my favorite recipes for pork loin.  It utilizes old school European lager and honey for a marinade and rich sauce.  The end result is great for dinner, and leftovers.




Part 1 Marinade.




For this recipe I like to use a traditional German style, light colored Lager, and Warsteiner fits that bill well - pale, crisp, and light.  The flavors of this beer pair very well with pork loin: grassy notes, honey malt, as well as citrusy and herbal hops.  They really kick up the depth of the marinade.







First things first: crack one of the beers for yourself... now you're ready to put this marinade together.

Ingredients:

• 3 Warsteiners, or a different light bodied, pale German lager.  Two of these are for cooking, one is for drinking.
• 2 tbls butter
• 1 large red onion sliced
• 2 peppers (jalapenos, or serranos) 
• 2 large garlic cloves chopped
• 1 tbl fresh rosemary
• 1 tbl fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup honey
• kosher salt/cracked pepper to taste

Getting Started: While you're chopping the onion and garlic, turn a large pot onto medium high heat.  Once again, I highly recommend a cast iron pot.  Nothing is better when it comes to even heat distribution, ease of cooking, and ease of cleaning. 

A simple way to seperate the seeds
and veins from peppers, is to
scrape them out with a spoon.

Hang on to those Scraps!
Your garden will thank you.

Ok.  Here we go...



1.  Melt the butter, then toss in the onions.  Throw in a couple pinches of kosher salt.  We want them to get carmalized, so let them cook for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Carmelized and ready

2.  Once they are nice and browned, add the garlic and peppers.  Stir slowly for 1 minute.  Toss in your spices and give a few quick stirs. 


3.  Now its time to pour in your beer, mustard and honey.  Bring everything to a boil, and then take your pot off the heat.  Puree the mixture until its smooth. 

Be sure to blend those onions well.

4.  Once cooled a bit, pour your marinade into a shallow dish and add your pork loin.  Spoon marinade over the top of the loin until its well coated.  Now cover the dish with plastic wrap and foil.  Place it in the fridge for 12-24 hours, and flip it about halfway through.

Ready to chill

That's it for now.  The beer marinade you concocted will go to work flavoring and tenderizing the pork loin.  It may take a little extra time and planning to make the marinade and let it sit overnight, but I promise it's well worth the effort.  Your pork loin will be packed with flavor and far juicier due to your efforts.


Tommorrow: we'll sear and bake the tenderloin, and transform the marinade and pan drippings into a kick-ass sauce.  Save a beer or two for tomorrow!

See you then!
The Drunken Chef