This meaty one pot stew is great to leave slow cooking for a lazy weekend tea.

You will need:

• 150g bacon lardons
• 300g shallots, or red onion
• 1kg stewing beef
• 400g wild mushroom mixture
• 1 can of Guinness
• Seasoning (garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper)
• Splash of oil
• A good sized casserole dish

 Pulled pork might be all the rage at the moment but for tender meat that falls apart, you can’t beat a good old fashioned beef in ale stew.

We have given this classic recipe a bit of an Irish twist and added in a can of Guinness. Alternatively, you can substitute any dark, rich stout if you have a particular favourite.

Firstly, get the oven on to preheat while you prepare the rest of the meat and vegetables, 160 degrees gas mark 3. The idea is to cook this dish slowly so that the flavours have time to fully infuse and the meat is so tender it falls off the fork.

Drizzle olive oil in to the pan and add shallots/onions, bacon lardons and the mushrooms. Fry up until bacon is browned and onions are starting to soften, transfer into the casserole dish.

In the same frying pan add a dash of salt and pepper and a garlic glove and brown off the stewing beef, once this is done transfer to the same casserole dish be sure to scrape in any stuck seasoning and extra meat juices for extra flavour.

Pour in the can of Guinness and add your bay leaf and any extra seasoning that takes your fancy, put the lid on, allow to slow cook for at least two hours.

You can serve alongside vegetables or roasted potatoes. Alternatively, if the one pot stew is truly what you are after (less washing up) after an hour and a half add in a selection of root vegetables and a cup of water to your meaty feast and boil them up in the stew. Absolutely delicious either way, we are sure you’ll agree.