PENSIONERS' £5 DELIGHT: SAUSAGE BEAN & BEER STEW with salad and Apple Hand Pies; veggie option

Multiplies easily for family-sized parties but also great for couples & singletons...

Sausage, Beer and Bean Casserole; frugal, tasty, healthy, boozy.
'Loved it - tangy & much more interesting than usual stews.' 
20+ Fijian Australian Taster

updated June 2022; photo 9/8/16

Sausages are still holding their own in the UK despite scare stories linking them to an 18% higher risk of cancer.

The truth is: those figures are linked to a daily dose of fatty, poor quality sausages.  If that's you, think again.  

For most people, eating sausages infrequently and then only free-range high-meat, or lower-fat versions like beef, venison or wild boar won't bring you any closer to death's door.  

Independent or artisan butchers stock sausages from farmers specialising in small production.  They will be a little more expensive but vastly superior in quality.  More importantly the flavour is so good, just a couple of sausages treated well, go far and become good value. 

Some supermarkets stock packaged sausages that are a good compromise between high-quality and junk.  But 67 urges you to at least try high quality sausages if budget permits.  

This recipe calls for two good-quality sausages (though more can be added) and will feed two people quite happily as part of a three course meal.  

The beer gives a pleasing flavour (even for non beer drinkers) but feel free to replace with wine, grape or apple juice or good stock.

Note: 67 has not tested vegetarian sausages in this recipe but sees no reason why they wouldn't work 

Cost: (of sausage dish) £4.50'ish, incl beer (9/2025)
Feeds: 2 (or 1 extremely hungry-possibly hung-over-chap...)

Ingred:
    min 2 beef, venison or wild boar sausages or equiv 
    1 tsp olive or vegetable oil
    1 med onion or equivalent fennel or celery, diced
    1 full coffee mug of pale ale OR equiv
    1-2 tsp muscovado (black/molasses) sugar    
    1 tbsp tomato puree
    dash of Worcestershire sauce

    1 tin butter beans (recommended) or other white beans, rinsed & drained
    
    juice of half a lime or lemon
    1 generous tsp wholegrain mustard
    1 tsp sweet paprika

Garnish: 1 tomato, deseeded, and diced
              olive oil
              salt
              1-2 tsp minced fresh parsley

Method:

1. Bring a small pot of water to the boil; prick sausages all over with a fork; drop into boiling water (releasing some fat).  
2. Turn off heat; rest 10 mins; cool.  These steps are not necessary for vegetarian sausages.
3. Slice sausages thickly; heat olive oil in a deep frying pan over med-high heat; brown sausage slices on both sides (a few mins), remove & set aside  on greaseproof paper
4. Reduce heat to medium; add onion to pan; fry until soft & translucent without browning - about 10 mins
5. Add ale; then tom puree, sugar, Worcestershire & thyme; scrape bottom of pan to remove crusty bits
6. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer; leave until half the liquid is gone (mybe 5 minutes)
7. Turn up heat to med: add sausages, drained butter beans, paprika, mustard & lime juice; stir 
8. Heat through 5-10 mins
9. Check seasoning; add more pepper and salt if necessary or a bit more ale or stock if too dry
10. For garnish: generously spray tomato dice with olive oil; add salt & pepper; stir through finely chopped parsley
11. Served scattered with tomato & parsley, alongside half a large baguette and half a recipe of Lettuce with Green Herb dressing
12. Dessert? Easy Apple Hand Pies provides a beautiful ending, with or without ice cream

Comments:

'I wish I'd had this recipe at uni; it's amazing how one can turn two sausages into such a tasty dish!'  Holder of 2 honours degrees.

'Loved the flavour: it was tangy & much more interesting than usual stews.' 

20+ Fijian Australian Taster

Tips:

• Toulouse sausages, twice the size of normal ones, are also great in this recipe
• Don't have molasses sugar? Sub with dark brown sugar.
• Replace beer with wine, grape or apple juice or good stock
• When poaching sausages, do several at a time; cool, refrigerate then freeze in pairs

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.