The Butchers Arms is a charming 16th-century wood framed building located in the village of Woolhope near Hereford. The Butchers Arms is a traditional pub with low beamed ceilings and welcoming open fires. The pub has a stream running through its pretty cottage garden which cools customers on hot sunny days. Run by Stephen Bull, twice the recipient of a Michelin Star, the food at The Butchers Arms has received both local and national acclaim with reviews appearing in The Independent and The Guardian to name but a few. The food focuses on local produce with Goodrich Longhorn beef, Chepstow ducks, Kentchurch venison, fish from Cornish inshore boats, and fruit and veg from nearby farms and gardens. The Butchers has recently been awarded a Bib Gourman in the Michelin Guide 2010, given for ‘good food at moderate prices’ (one of only 131 places in the UK).

To find out more about The Butchers Arms please visit www.butchersarmswoolhope.com

Stephen Bull

“Stephen Bull is a genuine food hero” Fork Magazine, Autumn 2009

Stephen left behind a successful career in advertising at the age of 27 and brought his first restaurant in North Wales, where he taught himself to cook and launched himself on a remote, unsuspecting public. In 1970 Stephen then moved to Richmond and opened Lichfields, where he was awarded a Michelin Star and Newcomer of the Year in the Good Food Guide. Over the years additional restaurants followed – Stephen Bull (Time Out’s Best Modern European Restaurant), Stephen Bull’s Bistro, and Fulham Road where Stephen was awarded a Michelin Star. In 2000 he left London behind to open the Lough Pool Inn near Ross on Wye. Stephen now owns the Hole in the Wall near Cambridge and the Butchers Arms, Woolhope, both of which have a Bib Gourmand from the Michelin Guide for good value cooking.  Stephen has appeared several times at Hay and Abergavenny Festivals, and several times on Radio 4′s food programme. To view Stephen’s latest recipe click on’read the rest of this entry’

Beef Stew with Shropshire Ale

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs stewing beef, cut in 2-inch chunks
• 1 oz flour, seasoned with ground black pepper, in a plastic or paper bag
• 1 medium onion, finley chopped
• 1 stalk celery and 1 medium carrot, cut into 1 -inch pieces
• 3 spring fresh (or 1tsp dried) thyme, 3 bay leaves, 3-4 stalks parsley and 2-3 inch piece orange peel, all tied together
• 2 peeled, crushed cloves garlic
• 1 pint stock (if made with two cubes remember they are salty)
• Half a pint Hobsons Twisted Spire
• 1 tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp sugar
• Salt
• 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter for browning

Method:

1. Dry the beef and jumble the pieces in the bag so they are well coated. In a frying pan heat the oil and butter till the foam subsides and brown the meat on all sides (about 5 minutes), a few pieces at a time.Remove to a pan with a lid.
2. Brown the vegetables for 10 minutes, adding a little more oil if necessary. Add these to the pan with the rest of the ingredients and season lightly.
3. Bring to a simmer, cover, and cook gently (the liquid should bubble very quietly) for an hour and a half. Check for tenderness and continue to cook if necessary. Depending on the cut of meat (chuck, shoulder or topside are best) this could take up to 3 hours.
4. At the end of cooking, remove the bouquet garni and garlic. Strain off the cooking liquid into a wide pan and boil hard for a few minutes to concentrate the flavour. When you are happy with the flavour add the sauce back to the pan and check the seasoning. If the flavour is right but the sauce is still a bit runny, thicken with a little cornflour mixed with a tablespoon of water.