Slow-Cooker Stovies with Brisket from Slimming Foodie Easy Meals Every Day
“Scots are very passionate about the right way to cook stovies… there are many ‘right ways’ and family recipes with all sorts of variations. If you haven’t heard of stovies, it is a slow-cooked dish containing potatoes, onion and meat. The meat used is generally the leftovers from a roast dinner, usually beef or lamb, or sometimes sausage or corned beef. I make mine with a beef brisket joint in the slow cooker. As I don’t use the traditional beef dripping for flavour, I make a couple of additions which may not be authentic but do add lovely flavour to this ultimate comfort food. This is a meal in one, but can be eaten with Scottish Oatcakes (see page 222 of Easy Meals Every Day) and pickled beetroot.” Pip Payne, author of The Slimming Foodie: Easy Meals Every Day
Serves 4
1 tablespoon butter
2 large onions, finely sliced
900g (2lb) Maris Piper potatoes, peeled and sliced into 1cm
(½ inch) slices
1 tablespoon cornflour
500ml (18fl oz) hot beef stock
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, or Henderson’s relish
1 tablespoon brown sauce
500g (1lb 2oz) beef brisket, fat trimmed away
3–4 carrots (total weight about
200g / 7oz), peeled and sliced
Salt and pepper
Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onions and start them frying (they need to fry for about 10 minutes until soft and golden) while you peel and slice the potatoes.
Put the cornflour in a small bowl or ramekin, add about 3 tablespoons cold water and stir to make a smooth paste.
Make up the beef stock in a jug and stir in the Worcestershire sauce or Henderson’s relish, the brown sauce and the cornflour mixture.
Arrange a layer of potatoes in the bottom of the slow-cooker pot. Place the beef brisket on top, season it with salt and pepper, then add the rest of the potato, the fried onions and the carrots all around it.
Pour over the gravy, pop the lid on and cook on high for 6–8 hours, or low for 10–12 hours. At the end of the cooking time, you should be able to easily shred the meat.
