Sunday Dinners: Apple Cider Beef with Mashed Potatoes

apple cider beef

Coming home from New York I was greeted with rain and the feeling that fall might be in the air. It was a quick trip for a Social Media Conference. That is the crazy thing about our OC weather; last week it was 115 and this week it is raining. I was going over to spend Sunday evening with my family so I decided to finally make the Apple Cider Beef I had clipped a few years ago. Sunday dinners are a great way to end the weekend. There is more time so you can make those meals you don’t have time to during the week. It is the time to linger around the table catching up with those you love.

This turned out to be a great Sunday dinner recipe. As the beef cooks in the oven the house fills with the warm aroma of apple cider. Served over a bed of mashed potatoes it is a comfort meal for the fall. My oldest nephew gave it two thumbs up and his brother had written it off until he heard it had apple cider in it. He ran back to the table and gave it a try. My tough little critics rated this as a please make again recipe. They said it made them feel like the holidays. Food is funny that way, evoking memories of seasons past.

Are Sunday dinners a tradition in your family? What is your favorite Sunday dinner meal? Please share in the comments so we all can see!

Apple Cider Beef with Mashed Potatoes

Adapted from Everyday with Rachel Ray
Serves 6-8

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons butter ?2 pounds top sirloin, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
Salt and black pepper
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped ?1 pound turnips, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups good-quality apple cider—go dark and cloudy
1/4 cup Apple Pie Liqueur (optional)
1 (15-ounce) can beef stock

3 pounds Idaho potatoes, peeled and chopped
2-4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1?2 cup milk
1?2 cup light sour cream
3 tablespoons chopped or snipped chives

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

beef browning in pan

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Place a large stew pot or Dutch oven with a lid over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter. When the butter melts, season the beef with salt and pepper and add to the pot. Brown on all sides, 7 to 8 minutes total. Add the onions, carrots, and turnips, and cook for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with the flour and stir to combine and coat, 1 minute. Stir in the apple cider and the beef stock, bring to a boil, cover the pan, and transfer to the oven. Braise the beef for 45 minutes.

beef and vegetables

Once the beef has been in the oven for about 15 minutes, place the potatoes in a large saucepot with water to cover by at least 1 to 2 inches. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat a bit, add some salt, and cook the potatoes until tender, about 15 minutes. ?When the potatoes are tender, drain them and return them to the pot. Add the butter, milk, and sour cream. Use a potato masher to smash them to your preferred consistency. Season with salt and pepper and add the chives.

Cover and keep warm until the beef is done.

To serve, put a layer of potatoes in a bowl ladle the stew over them.

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