Beef in a Beer Sauce

If there's one thing I love just as much as food and drink pairing, it's cooking with alcohol, as well. The flavour from cooking with alcohol is in a class of it's own. It's amazing how adding such a simple ingredient to your pot or casserole can bring your dish to new life.

Of course, the OCD part of me took over when it came to choosing which beer to use so I researched beer that goes with beef or steak. Porter and IPA were my first choices but I could only get AndUnion's amber ale as second best option. I wasn't disappointed, luckily.

For someone who is still learning to drink other bitter alcohols like beer, whiskey and brandy, this beer was quite an easy drinker for me. But I can still only do small amounts before the taste gets unbearable. Baby steps and I'll be a pro beer/whiskey/brandy drinker just like I drink my wine.

Oil for frying

550g-1kg minute steaks, sliced into strips, however chunky you like them

Steak spice

30ml butter

2 onions halved and sliced

1 heaped tablespoon of flour

300ml beef stock

200ml beer

Thyme

Mashed potatoes and a vegetable of your choice, to serve.

(Chad made us his tomato and French bean stew. It's amazing)

• Heat a frying pan over high heat. Once it's hot, add a little oil and fry the meat, coating it qith the steak spice. Stir-fry until browned and remove from the heat. Set aside. 
• Heat the butter in the same pan and cook the onion over slightly lowered heat until golden brown. Stir in the flour.
• Add the stock gradually, stirring continuously then add the beer and thyme. Simmer for 5-10 minutes until thickened. stirring periodically.
• Add the meat to the gravy and season to taste. Serve with mash and veggies.