Beer & food recipe: Beef in ale with vegetable toad-in-the-hole

Beef in ale with vegetable toad-in-the-hole

This recipe is a mix of two cooking methods - traditional roasting and pot-roasting. The beef tastes wonderful and benefits from cooking in beer - it smells fantastic too! Served with vegetable toad-in-the-hole it means meat, vegetables and Yorkshire pudding all cook in the oven together.

Time to cook: 30-40 minutes per 450g/½kg (1lb) plus 30-40 minutes

Oven temperature: Gas mark 4, 180°C, 350°F

Ingredients

• 2kilo (4.5lbs) Lean boned and rolled beef rib joint
• 400g (14ozs) Red onions, peeled and sliced
• 2x440ml cans (2x14ozs) Ale
• 30-60ml (2ozs) Vegetable oil
• 400g (14ozs) Carrots, peeled, cut into bite size pieces and blanched
• 300g (10ozs) Hearts of celery cut into bite size pieces and blanched.
• 200g (7ozs) Leeks, washed and cut up
• 400g (14ozs) Parsnips, peeled, cored and quartered.
• 2 large (9ozs) Red onions peeled and cut into rings
• For the Yorkshire pudding batter and sauce
• 300g (10ozs) Plain flour
• 6 Eggs
• 600ml (1pt) Milk
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 450ml (15flozs) Demi glace or basic brown sauce
• Optional cream of horseradish or relish to taste

Method

Take the boned and rolled beef rib joint and calculate the cooking time. Line a roasting tin with foil and place the sliced red onions, onto the foil placing the beef joint on top. Season.

Pour over 400ml of ale and wrap the foil around the beef. Cook in a preheated oven for the calculated cooking time. Halfway through cooking, top the liquid up with another 400ml ale and loosely wrap the beef in foil once again before returning to the oven for the remaining cooking time.

Meanwhile make the batter for the vegetable toad-in-the-hole. In a bowl mix together flour seasoning and eggs along with the milk and whisk until smooth. In individual or a large sized roasting tin place the blanched carrots, celery, leeks, parsnips, and red onion rings. Pour over olive oil and place into the oven. Par-roast the vegetables until they take on a little colour and soften.

Once the beef is cooked remove from the oven and increase the oven temperature to Gas mark 7, 220°C, 425°F. Pour the batter over the vegetables and cook for 15-20 minutes until golden and well risen, and the vegetables are tender.

While the vegetable toad-in-the-hole is cooking let the beef rest wrapped in foil and transfer the onions and any beer and juices to a pan containing the Demi glace/ brown sauce bring to the boil simmer for 5-8 minutes finish with a little cream of horseradish and seasoning if required

Serve the beef sliced with the vegetable toad-in-the-hole and gravy.