Whisky and Smoked Bacon Hotpot

Ingredients

- 500g diced stewing beef

- 200g smoked bacon lardons

- 2 onions, sliced

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 2 garlic cloves, minced

- 2 tbsp plain flour

- 500ml beef stock

- 200ml whisky

- 2 tbsp tomato puree

- 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

- 1 tsp dried thyme

- Salt and pepper, to taste

- 750g potatoes, thinly sliced

Instructions

To start off, preheat your oven to 180C. In a large ovenproof casserole dish, fry the bacon lardons until crispy. Remove them from the dish and set aside, leaving the delicious bacon fat in the pan.

Next, add the diced beef to the pan and cook until browned on all sides. Once browned, remove the beef from the pan and set aside with the bacon.

In the same pan, add the onions, carrots, and garlic, and cook until softened. Sprinkle over the flour and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly. This will help thicken the sauce later on.

Pour in the beef stock and whisky, making sure to scrape up any delicious browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then return the bacon and beef to the dish. Give it all a good stir and top with the sliced potatoes.

Cover the dish with a lid or foil and place it in the oven for 1 hour. After an hour, remove the lid or foil and cook for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and crispy.