Scouse

Brought to Liverpool by Northern European sailors, this stew was originally called 'labskause'. Over time this was shortened to Skause and the spelling changed to the version we have today. In time all sailors within Liverpool were referred to as Scousers, and now everyone from the region is. Try making Liverpool's best-known dish for yourself.

20 minutes prep. time
2 hours 45 minutes cooking time
Serves 6–8
Soups, stews & curries

A bowl of fresh Scouse at the Speke Hall restaurant — A dish of fresh Scouse at the Speke Hall restaurant | © David Jones Photography

1kg beef chuck, diced
2kg potatoes, peeled and chunkily chopped
2kg carrots, peeled and chopped
1 stick of celery
4 bay leaves, dried or fresh
300g beef bouillon, in 8 litres water
Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1

Peel and chop the potatoes and carrots.

Step 2

Boil the beef in the stock and water with the bay leaves, salt and pepper for 2 hours, to tenderise the beef.

Step 3

Add the potatoes and carrots and leave to simmer for around 45 minutes (no thickener is needed).

Step 4

This recipe is best left overnight and then more potatoes added the next day as the first lot of potatoes will fall into the stock and make the stock thicken naturally.