Black Country Beef Stew - Groaty Pudding

Groaty pudding is a traditional Black Country dish made from beef and oats and is slow cooked either in the oven or on the hob. Locally and affectionately it is known as Groaty Dick and I doubt I'm not the only one who finds that just a little bit funny. Childishness aside it is a very tasty, easy and warming stew and is perfect served up with chunks of oat bread and butter. As we are visiting the wonderful Black Country Living Museum this fresh and bracing autumnal weekend (hunting for Santa) it is the perfect comfort meal inviting us back to the snug and cosy van.

Ingredients:

500g Stewing steak
2tbsp Oatmeal
2tbsp Parched peas (soaked overnight / optional)
3tbsp Pearl barley
1x Large onion, diced
1x Carrot, peeled and sliced
1x Garlic clove, crushed
1x Leek, sliced
2x Celery sticks, sliced
500ml Beef stock
1x Tin of chopped tomatoes
500ml Water

1tsp Mace

1tsp Smoked paprika
1tsp Turmeric (I am trying use more turmeric as it is good for you)
1tsp Balsamic vinegar
2x Cloves
1tsp Marmite
2x Bay leaves
1tbsp Chopped rosemary leaves
1tsp Thyme leaves
Spring onion for garnish


Method:

1. Season the beef then in a frying pan brown it in batches then transfer to a big casserole dish.
2. In the same fry pan sweat off the onions for 5 minutes then pour in the stock, tomatoes and water and bring to a simmer. Pour into the casserole dish.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients to the casserole dish and cook in the oven on gas mark 3 for about 3 hours.
4. Plate up with some nice bread and butter, garnish with a bit of sliced spring onion if you have some and tuck in!

Medieval Beef Pottage

Continuing with our trip to Ironbridge, and looking at traditional cooking from the 1700's, tonight sees us trying the age old working class staple of pottage. Pottage is basically a thick stew or soup where all the ingredients simply get boiled in the pot. There is no set recipe for pottage, you just bung what you have into the pot and hope it turns out great, which it usually does.

Ingredients:

500g Stewing beef
2x Slices bread
3tbsp Pearl barley
1x Onion, diced
2x Carrots, peeled and sliced
1x Parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 Swede, peeled and cut into chunks
1x Leek, sliced
1/4 Red cabbage, diced
1tsp Thyme
1tbsp Parsley stalks, chopped
1tsp Mace
550ml Water


Method:

1. In a large pan or pot on the stove brown the meat on all sides.
2. Add the diced onion and keep stirring.
3. In goes the remaining veg, thyme, parsley stalks and mace.
4. Pour in the water and pearl barley and bring to the boil then reduce to a slow simmer.
5. Top with the bread then pop on a lid. Cook for at least 2 hours and stir occasionally after the bread has dissolved.

Tip: I know they wouldn't have had stock cubes back in the 1700's but I do suggest adding one for flavour.