Serve Scouse in a bowl

1   Scouse - is the dialect spoken by a person who comes from Liverpool, NW England, who would be known as a Scouser or Liverpudlian.

2   Scouse - is a stew made from leftover meat.

Traditionally scouse was a “poor man’s” meal made on a Monday with the leftovers from the families Sunday dinner (which consisted of a joint of meat, vegetables and potatoes).

As well as using up the leftover meat and vegetables it was a meal that could be left to simmer while the laundry was being done. 

Served over a slice of bread to “soak up” the gravy, or bread on the side if preferred.

Sometimes dumplings would be added before serving and considered a treat.

As social conditions improved so did the recipe for Scouse, stewing steak and sometimes kidney were purchased specifically to make “a pan of Scouse” and always a popular meal in the majority of households.

Scouse is not to be confused with stew the gravy in stew is thickened, scouse gravy is more like a broth (my grandmother’s definition not mine she was born in Liverpool and proud to be a Liverpudlian).

This Recipe should be used as a guide.  Variations are not only acceptable but expected.  

I have heard similar recipes referred to as “Dump and Hope Stew” and “Odd Job Soup”.

3 cups of stock - water and beef bullion cubes

(I use a mixture of vegetable and beef bullion cubes)

Seasoning to your personal taste (which translates to salt and pepper to taste)

(My father liked to use curry powder as seasoning, not a popular taste with the family)

Make the stock by boiling the water and adding the bullion cubes.

Prepare each ingredient and add to the stock as it is ready.

Season and stir well, reduce the heat and simmer for at least 1 hour.

Stir occasionally and add more water if needed.

This is a perfect recipe for a crock pot or slow cooker. 

If I am able to cook it for more than 1 hour I like to add a handful of split peas.

Keep half of the potatoes until the last 30 minutes then you get a combination of potatoes that have cooked into the gravy and some that are just cooked.

If you need to reduce the cooking time substitute half of the potatoes for mashed potatoes.

Dumplings can be added.

It can be put into a dish, covered with pastry and turned into a pie (you might want to minimize the amount of gravy in the pie to save the pastry from getting soggy and serve the gravy on the side).

Serve it with biscuits or crackers.

Leftovers can be frozen and reheated in the microwave.

Lamb scouse is still my favorite but lamb is not popular in Florida.

I have had good results substituting ham or pork and making the stock with ham bullion cubes. 

The ham version was named “Hurricane 2004 Survival Stew” as it was my contribution when we evacuated from hurricanes Frances and Jeanie.

I am still working on a chicken and mushroom version.