Serves 4
Oil, for cooking
250g shins of beef
1 large onion, cut into quarters, root still on
1 large carrot
1 root-end of celery, cut into 4 pieces, root still attached to help hold them together
500ml beer, strong in hops, eg pale ale
300ml lamb stock or brown chicken stock
½ bunch of thyme
2 fresh bay leaves
50g dried hops – you can find them online
75g butter
4 tbsp flat-leaf parsley, chopped
1 Heat the oil in a large casserole over a medium-high heat. Add the beef shins and colour to a dark brown all over. You may need to do just two at a time. When ready, remove from the pan and keep to one side.
2 Add the onion quarters and gently colour them without moving them about too much. Add the carrots and celery and pour on the beer and lamb stock. Bring the pan to the boil and place the beef shins in the stock.
3 Put the thyme, bay and the hops in a muslin bag and tie it together with string. Place the muslin bag in the stock and cover. Put the pan in a preheated oven at 150C/300F/gas mark 2 and cook gently for 3–3 ½ hours until the beef is tender.
4 Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 45 minutes. Then carefully lift the beef from the pan, trying not to break it up. Remove the veg and cover with tin foil to keep warm.
5 Bring the sauce to the boil and reduce it until it reaches gravy consistency. Whisk in the butter.
6 Serve the beef and veg with smooth, buttery mash and gravy. Sprinkle with parsley and serve with a pint of ale!
