Beer Braised Beef with Smoked Gouda Mash
September 30, 2018 by Nicole Collins
OK, here we go. My first official whine of the season!
One of my least favorite things about this time of year, specifically, is that the temperature can change 20-30 degrees over the course of the day. Cold, warm, cold is such a pain in the butt! Plus, it's the absolute worst trying to think about what in the world to wear to accommodate the crazy weather.
On Wednesday, I was sweating my buns off. It was ridiculously humid, and it was 78 unpleasant degrees inside of my house. Then, just 24 hours later on Thursday, I had to turn the heat on in the car because it was only 60 degrees.
Does that sound awful or what?
I'm already feeling the effects of the slowly declining temperature, and I'm already over it. But, this is the time of year when we get to eat warm, stick to your ribs kind of meals. So, at least there's an up side.
Today's recipe is one such meal. Today's recipe is like a warm hug for your belly.
The inspiration for today's meal has a little bit of a funny story behind it. You see, my friend, Christy, and her family just got back from Walt Disney World. They were there during Food and Wine Festival which is one of my absolute favorites when it comes to Disney. I love Epcot sooooo much, but even more so when there are foodie festivals!
So, we while she was there, we were texting about some of the yummy things she was eating. Then, I asked her for kind of a weird favor. I asked her to bring me home one of the festival passports just so I could read the menus of all of the amazing things that were being served this year.
I know, it's strange request. But, I just wanted to live vicariously through that passport since I couldn't be there to experience the festival myself. And bless her soul, she sure did bring me back one of those little menu booklets!
As I was scanning through the book, the one menu item that I couldn't stop thinking about is what I knew I had to figure out a way to create at home. Though I have no idea what it tastes like in Disney, I know that it tastes like pure deliciousness when served Yummy Muffin style.
So what is it that caught my eye? Well, it's Beer Braised Beef with Smoked Gouda Mash. And let me tell you, I'm in love.
Let's start with the beef. We take some cubed boneless chuck, and let it brown in a dutch oven with some olive oil. Then we add some garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, brown sugar, thyme, and of course, beer to the party to create a super flavorful bath for our beef to braise in low and slow for about 4 hours. Braising allows the flavors to soak in to the beef while keeping it juicy and fork tender. Yum!
While the beef braises, we can work on our smoked gouda mash. Let me just say, these potatoes are thebomb.com! I mean, you really can't go wrong with potatoes and cheese, am I right? Despite leaving the skin on these potatoes, these are truly the creamiest potatoes ever!
We start with some red potatoes. Like I said, I prefer my mashed potatoes with the skin on. But, you can totally peel your potatoes first if you don't like the extra texture from the skin. After we cook the potatoes until they're perfectly tender, we mash them with lots of butter, lots of cream, and lots of shredded smoked gouda cheese. And let me tell you, that creamy trifecta is what makes this mash so smooth, so rich, so silky, and so incredibly amazing!
You know I'm really funny about having my food touch. But, this is one of those meals when the beef needs to be nestled right on top of your mash. The jus from the beef plus the smoky, creamy potatoes are the ultimate flavor explosion in your mouth. Serve this with a little salad on the side, and you've got a wholesome and delicious meal!
If I'm going to be honest, I seriously don't even need the beef. That mash, though! YUM!
Alright guys, this is definitely the meal that will keep you warm on those cold nights that are creeping up on us. So, it's really just in your best interest to put this on the dinner menu for tonight.
But for now, enjoy! And, let's eat!
Beer Braised Beef with Smoked Gouda Mash
Serves: 6 Print
Ingredients:
For the Beer Braised Beef:
3 lbs boneless chuck, cut in to 1 ½ inch cubes
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 sprigs thyme
2 cups beer (use your favorite)
2 cups beef broth
For the Smoked Gouda Mash:
1 ½ lbs red potatoes, quartered
1 tbsp + ½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
4 tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter, cut in to 3 or 4 pieces
½ cup heavy cream
1 ½ cups smoked gouda, shredded
Directions:
Make the Beer Braised Beef: In a dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add beef cubes, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Sear beef on all sides until a brown crust starts to form. Add paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, brown sugar, thyme, beer, and beef broth to the pot. Stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 3 ½ to 4 hours. Remove thyme sprigs from liquid.
30 mins before the beef is finished, make the Smoked Gouda Mash: In a large pot, add potatoes, 1 tbsp salt, and cover with cold water, making sure there's about an inch of water above the top of the potatoes. Heat to high, and bring to a boil. Boil for 12-14 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from heat. Drain water from pot. Put potatoes back in the pot. Add ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp pepper, butter, and heavy cream. Mash with a potato masher until desired texture. Add smoked gouda, and stir well until smooth and creamy.
To serve, divide mash between 6 portions. Top with beef cubes and a drizzle of braising liquid. Enjoy!
Recipe notes:
*I like my mash with a little texture, so I leave the skin on my potatoes. You could certainly peel your potatoes first if that's what you prefer.
*The certainly works as a make ahead meal. You can also freeze the beef. Freeze it with a little bit of the braising liquid so your beef doesn't dry out when you go to thaw and reheat.
*You can use a lager, ale, or IPA in the braising liquid. I chose a lager for mine, because that's what I had on hand.
*You can store leftover gouda in the freezer by wrapping it back in it's original wrapper then putting it in a plastic sandwich baggie. When you're ready to use it again, just thaw it out in the fridge a few hours before you need it.
