Welcome to the food blog that’s curated for those who love to eat and drink, as well as those who appreciate the occasional obscure movie quote and/or song lyric. The saucy, boozy recipes listed herein are delicious enough to make you skip the takeout line, but simple enough that you can cook them in the comfort of your own home, drink in hand, even when you’re two glasses in (or more).

Irish Guinness Slow Cooker Roast – I don’t know what we’re eating, or where we’re gonna go…

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day (arguably one of the booziest celebrated holidays in the U.S.), we are starting with a recipe for an Irish Guinness Slow Cooker Roast. You can simply throw the roast in the slow cooker in the morning (along with a few additional ingredients), and it will be ready and waiting for you when you return from your green-tinted festivities. If preferred, this recipe can be cooked more quickly in any deep pot with a lid on the stovetop.

My grandmother visited Ireland years ago, and brought back with her stories and customs that have become a part of family lore over time. One of these travel tales involved a song she heard in many of the pubs she frequented: ”Living Next Door to Alice,” perhaps better known as: ”Who the F… Is Alice?” Everyone in the pub (including my grandmother) would yell back the fanciful F-word, in pure call-and-response fashion, every time the chorus rang out. “Alice? Who the F… is Alice?”

The arguably most popular version of the song was released in 1976 by the band Smokie. Therefore, if you have no clue what I am referring to, you are forgiven. Regardless, I strongly recommend that you give it a search and a listen. I have no doubt that it will make it on your kitchen playlist, which, if you have not already done so, you should be crafting on your favorite media platform, by the way. This song has become yet another family tradition, especially after my grandmother’s passing. We crank it up, sing along with our glasses held high, in honor of our beloved lost matriarch. It may sound strange, emphatically exclaiming an expletive in honor of the late, great Grandma Nancy, but, my grandma was not like other grandmas. However, that’s a story for another time. (And the blog readers breathe a collective sigh of relief.)

Optional Side: Colcannon

If you’re feeling extra festive this St. Patty’s day, you can serve your Irish Guinness Roast with Colcannon. Colcannon is a traditional Irish dish composed of mashed potatoes with cabbage and/or kale. Doesn’t sound appetizing? Well, did I mention it also has bacon in it? Everything is better with bacon.

The instructions for my Colcannon recipe are included below. Plus, I don’t have a story about Colcannon! That’s right—it’s a twofer! You get two recipes and only have to suffer through one rambling blog post. Consider yourself blessed by the Irish fairies. However, you also have the option to include potatoes in your Irish Guinness Roast, for a one-pot, one-stop meal.

More about Sauced

You didn’t ask, but, the idea for this blog started with a song: “Hank, why do you drink..? … It’s a family tradition.” It got me thinking about my family traditions, which are inextricably tied to food and music. So many of my fondest memories take place in the kitchen. Watching my grandma, standing over a sizzling pan of grease, listening to it pop and splatter, as she tirelessly cooked fried green tomatoes or morels for hours, without complaint, never taking one for herself until they were all done, ensuring others enjoyed them first.

Then, there was the sense of importance I felt when my mom let me mix the meatloaf with my bare hands for the first time, reveling in the feel of raw hamburger, eggs, ketchup and spices squeeze between my fingers. There’s something cathartic about it. Plus, it was a responsibility I took seriously, even then, helping her prepare dinner for our family. Ensuring those we love were fed and cared for. It’s no wonder I have such a complicated relationship with food. In my family, food was love. How do we celebrate something? Food! You wanted to bring joy to those around you by pleasing their tastebuds. To this day, I feel a surge of pride whenever someone helps themselves to a second helping of something I made.

It is said that the kitchen is the heart of the home. It is where we all gather, to cook, and to eat. To talk over a cup of coffee at the kitchen table. To dance and sing to the Grease soundtrack while you clean up the remnants of Thanksgiving dinner. Well, perhaps that last one is unique to my family, but I highly recommend it. I have learned so much about cooking, and love, and life, by watching my family (especially my mom and grandma) in the kitchen.

Sauced & Sage Advice

First lesson: Music makes cooking more fun. I remember the first time my father-in-law stayed with us, I was trying my best to impress with a home-cooked meal. Without thinking anything of it, I sang my heart out to every song whilst prepping and cooking away. Like I said, it’s a family tradition. At some point, my father-in-law came into the kitchen and said, “It’s like a live concert in here. Do you always sing while you cook?” (Be sure to read that in his sweet southern Tennessee accent.) Slightly embarrassed, but trying not to show it, I replied, ”Yep, it makes the food taste better.” Before that moment, I didn’t think that singing and dancing around like a fool while you cook was unique to my family. I mean, they do it in all the rom-coms.

Second lesson: Booze also makes cooking more fun. Ah, and we’re back, full circle. That is not to say that one needs to drink in order to have a good time of any sort. But trust me, it certainly makes even the most tedious tasks more enjoyable: cooking, folding laundry, talking to people… As previously stated, this blog is meant for those who may enjoy a cocktail or two while they cook, but it is not a requirement. Plus, the recipes are simple enough that anyone can make them, even if you’re sauced.

Most of the food discussed herein will contain a boozy beverage component, (I mean, who has time to eat AND drink?), but have no fear, all you teetotalers out there! Most of the alcohol will cook out of the food, leaving behind only its delicious aroma and flavor.

Irish Guinness Slow Cooker Roast Recipe

Now, let’s get to the good stuff: Our first recipe. As previously stated, Irish Guinness Slow Cooker Roast can be made in the slow cooker all day, or it can be made in any suitable deep pot with a lid. If you go the slow cooker-route, you are going need to allow at least 4-8 hours for it to be fully cooked. Whereas, in a pot on the stovetop, the meal can be cooked in as little as 2 hours.

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
• 2-2 1/2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast (you can also use venison roast)
• 6 slices of bacon, chopped
• 4 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 4 large carrots, peeled and chopped into slices
• 2 celery stalks, chopped
• 14.9 oz can Guinness Draught beer
• 5 Tbsp tomato paste
• 3 cups chicken or beef stock
• 3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried thyme (or 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme)
• salt & pepper to taste
• optional: 4-6 baby potatoes, quartered (if you do not plan on making Colcannon as a side)

Instructions

• Slice the beef/venison roast into 2” chunks and pat dry. Liberally season the meat with salt and pepper.
• Heat EVOO on high in a large pan (I love to use my cast iron skillet). Add beef/venison to hot oil, browning on all sides, ensuring that the meat is not overcrowded. Repeat as many times as necessary to ensure that all meat is browned. Remove from pan and place on a plate lined with a paper towel.
• Lower heat to medium and add the onions and garlic. Add salt, and ”sweat” the onions and garlic for 2-3 minutes, until soft.
• Add bacon to pan and cook until it starts to brown, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add chopped celery and cook 1-2 minutes more.
• Add flour and stir, scraping up all bits of bacon and beef/venison, continuing to cook over medium heat for 1-2 minutes.
• If cooking in a slow cooker, remove the bacon/onion/garlic/celery mixture and place in slow cooker. Top with beef/venison and follow the instructions below. If cooking in a lidded pot, continue to follow instructions below, using the same pot you have been using.
• Pour in the Guinness beer and stir well to combine, ensuring that you loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan or slow cooker. Add tomato paste, chicken/beef stock, carrots, bay leaf, thyme, and potatoes (optional).
• For slow cooker: You can set to high and cook for 1-2 hours, switch to low and cook for an additional 2-5 hours, until meat reaches an internal temperature of 195 degrees F / 90 degrees C.
• For lidded pot: Turn heat back to high and bring to a boil. Then, reduce heat to low and cover, simmering, for 1-2 hours, until meat reaches an internal temperature of 195 degrees F / 90 degrees C.
• Serve with a tall, frosted glass of Guinness or a glass of dry red wine (or both — no judgement here!) and Cheers! Or, Sláinte! As the Irish say.

With that, we can recite an Irish blessing that you may or may not be familiar with (if you have seen a particular movie with a particular blue-painted actor, and no, I am not referring to Avatar): ”May the road rise up to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields, until we meet again.”

Colcannon Recipe

Ingredients:

• 4-6 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 4-6 strips of bacon, chopped and cooked until crispy
• 6 Tbsp butter, plus 1-4 Tbsp softened butter (separated)
• 3 lightly packed cups chopped kale and/or cabbage (I typically do a mixture of both)
• 4 green onions, diced
• 1 cup whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• Salt and pepper to taste

Colcannon is basically just deliciously creamy mashed potatoes, with the addition of kale and/or cabbage. Oh, and bacon. Did I mention the bacon? I first came across this recipe when I was looking for a unique way to use up the cabbage and kale we had grown in our garden. It’s a great way to get the fiber, vitamins, and other health benefits from the cabbage/kale, without really tasting them.

As for the number of potatoes to boil, a good rule to follow is something my mom taught me: Boil 2 potatoes for each person eating. So, if you are cooking for 2, you will need to boil 4 potatoes. (That’s math, folks!) If boiling more than 6 potatoes, you may need to adjust your milk/cream and butter amounts accordingly.

1. First, you will boil the potatoes in a large pot of salted water for approximately 15-20 minutes, until the potatoes are soft enough to mash. Pour into strainer to drain.
2. You can use the same pot to melt the butter and cook the greens in. Melt the 6 Tbsp. of butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Then, add the chopped kale and/or cabbage. Continue cooking over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, until the vegetables begin to wilt.
4. Add the green onion to the same pot and cook 1 minute more. Remove from heat.
5. Using a standing mixer, handheld mixer, or potato masher, mash the potatoes in a large bowl, while slowly adding the remainder of the softened butter, milk/cream, salt, and pepper. Continue mixing until potatoes are fully mashed and smooth.  
6. Add the potato mixture back to the warm pot with the greens. Then, add the bacon. Stir thoroughly, ensuring that all ingredients are fully incorporated throughout. You may add more butter, seasoning, and milk/cream at this point, if desired.
7. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
8. Serve hot with melted butter and cheese on top.

If making ahead of time, you may place the Colcannon into a slow cooker on warm, until you are ready to eat.

Please feel free to send any questions, comments, or other feedback to: saucedblogger@yahoo.com, or choose one of the options on the website to contact me. I will be continually adding new recipes to this site, so keep coming back and checking for more! Cheers!