Somerset Cider Stew Recipes

SOMERSET CIDER STEW

Steps:

• 1. Mix the flour & paprika in a plastic bag, add the pork & shake until the meat is evenly coated. Heat oil in a stew pan or flameproof casserole. Add the pork & fry until lightly browned all over. Stir in any remaining flour from the bag.
• 2. Gradually stir in the dry cider & bring to the boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover the pan or casserole & cook for 1 hour.
• 3. Stir in mushrooms, leeks, red pepper & apples. Cover & simmer for a further 10 minutes. Season with salt & pepper.
• 4. Stir in the blended cornflour & simmer for 15 minutes, stirring all the time until the sauce has thickened & is smooth.
• 5. Leave to cool for about 5 minutes, then stir in the cream. Gently heat through. Serve with unpeeled new potatoes or mashed potato.

NORMANDY-STYLE PORK STEW

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Season pork with salt and pepper. Melt butter in an ovenproof braiser pan, large straight-sided skillet, or wide, shallow pot over medium-high heat. When foam subsides, add pork and cook, turning a few times, until browned all over, 10 to 12 minutes (do not crowd pan; brown in two batches if necessary). Transfer to a plate.
• Add bacon and shallots to pan; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring a few times, until bacon renders its fat and shallots turn golden brown in places, 6 to 8 minutes. Return pork and any accumulated juices to pan. Sprinkle evenly with flour, stir, and cook 1 minute. Add bay leaf and cider; boil 1 minute. Add broth and return to a boil.
• Cover and transfer to oven; braise 45 minutes. Stir in carrots and celery, cover, and return to oven until pork is fork-tender and carrots are tender but still holding their shape, 1 hour to 1 hour, 15 minutes. Remove and discard bay leaf. Stir in crème fraîche and Dijon. Top with herbs; serve with more crème fraîche and Dijon.

NORMANDY PORK WITH APPLES & CIDER

Steps:

• Heat half the oil in a large pan and brown the meat in batches. Don't overcrowd the pan, and only turn the meat when it has a deep brown crust on the underside, as this will add lots of flavour to the stew. When one batch is cooked, tip it into the slow cooker and continue with the next batch, adding more oil as you need it.
• When all the meat has been transferred to the slow cooker, add the onion, carrots and celery to the pan and cook for 5-10 mins to just soften, scraping any meaty bits up from the bottom of the pan. Tip the veg into the slow cooker. Add the lardons to the pan and fry until crispy. Pour in the cider, bubble for 1 min, again scraping the bottom of the pan, then tip the cider and lardons into the slow cooker too. Add the apples, stock cube and herbs to the slow cooker, pour in 400ml water, season well and turn the heat to Low. Cover with the lid and cook for 6-8 hrs until the meat is very tender. (If you don't have a slow cooker, tip all the ingredients back into the pan, cover with a lid and cook for 3 hrs over a low heat, stirring every now and then to prevent it from catching on the bottom. You may have to add a splash of water during cooking if the sauce looks dry.)
• Turn your slow cooker up to High. Add the crème fraîche and mustard to the stew and check the seasoning. If the sauce is thin, you can thicken it with the cornflour - ladle 2 spoonfuls of the sauce into a pan and bring to a simmer, mix the cornflour with 1-2 tsp cold water to make a paste, then stir it into the sauce. Once thickened, return the sauce to the slow cooker and cook for 10 mins more on High, stirring occasionally (or for 5 mins on the hob). Serve with mashed potato, greens and extra mustard and thyme, if you like.

CIDER BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine flour, salt and pepper. Add beef, a few pieces at a time, and shake to coat. In a large saucepan, brown beef in oil; drain. Stir in the cider, water, vinegar and thyme; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1 hour and 45 minutes or until the meat is tender. , Add the carrots, celery, potato and onion; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

SPICED APPLE CIDER

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in a pot. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, and cook until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cider can be kept warm over very low heat. Strain before serving, reserving cinnamon sticks for garnish if desired.

CIDER STEW

Steps:

• On a medium to medium-high heat, in a large skillet or dutch oven with a cover, heat the fat and cook the onions until browned.
• While the onions are browning, mix the flour with the salt, pepper and thyme.
• When onions are browned, remove them from the pan, set aside, and add the beef.
• When the beef browns, replace the onions and add the flour mixture.
• Stir to coat all.
• Add the cider and ketchup, and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Then lower the heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hours more, stirring occasionally and skimming the top of the stew if necessary.
• Add the potatoes and carrots and simmer another 30 to 45 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.
• NOTE: The original recipe called for 3 tbs. bacon grease, but I prefer not using that. The butter and olive oil mixture gives excellent results.
• Also, I always double the sauce& seasoning ingredients. If you decide to also, don't forget to double the onions, oil, butter and flour also.

HOMEMADE APPLE CIDER BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven, brown beef on all sides in oil over medium-high heat; drain. Add the cider, broth, vinegar, salt, thyme and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 1-1/4 hours. , Add the potatoes, carrots, celery and onions; return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until beef and vegetables are tender. , Combine flour and water until smooth; stir into stew. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. If desired, serve with fresh thyme.

SLOW COOKER PORK CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Heat your slow cooker. Drizzle the oil in a wide frying pan over a high heat. Season the pork, then add to the hot pan. Avoid overcrowding the meat - you may want to do this in batches. Cook until deep brown all over, then transfer to the slow cooker. Add the onion and leeks to the frying pan and cook for a few mins, until they soften. Add a splash of water and scrape any tasty bits from the bottom, then tip everything into the slow cooker. Add the carrot, herbs, stock cube, mustard and vinegar, season, then add enough water to just cover the ingredients. Stir, then set your slow cooker on low for 6-8 hrs, or high for 5-6 hrs.
• In a saucepan, mix the cornflour and honey with 1-2 tsp of liquid from the slow cooker, until you have a smooth paste. Add 100ml more liquid, bring to a simmer until thickened, then stir back into the casserole. Serve with mash or dumplings, scattered with thyme leaves.