Versatile beef stew
- Cassie Best
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Serves 4
Easy
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 4 hrs
A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.8 ratingsRate
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Master this beef stew and stash a few portions in the freezer for a delicious meal anytime. You could also use a slow cooker to make it, if you like
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Versatile beef stew
A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.8 ratings
Cheesy green veg gratin
A star rating of 4.9 out of 5.6 ratings
Basic mustard mash
A star rating of 4 out of 5.16 ratings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Units:
MetricUS
-
900g braising steak
(such as chuck or brisket), trimmed of large pieces of fat or gristle and cut into large chunks
-
1 tbsp plain flour
-
1-2 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
-
2 onions
chopped
-
2 celery sticks
chopped
-
2 carrots
halved and cut into chunks
-
2 bay leaves
-
6 thyme sprigs
leaves picked
-
150ml red wine
(optional)
-
1 tbsp tomato purée
-
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
-
1 beef stock cube
or 600ml fresh strong beef stock
-
cooked green vegetables
and mash, to serve (optional)
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Nutrition: Per serving
- kcal401
- fat16g
- saturates6g
- carbs13g
- sugars8g
- fibre3g
- protein48g
- salt1g
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Method
-
step 1
Season the beef generously and toss in the flour. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large flameproof casserole over a medium-high heat. Cook the beef in two or three batches for about 6-8 mins each, so as not to overcrowd the pan, until browned on all sides. Add a little more oil if it starts to catch. Transfer to a plate.
-
step 2
Reduce the heat. If the pan is dry, add a little more oil. Cook the onions, celery and carrots for 5 mins. Add the bay, thyme and wine (or use water), and simmer for 2-3 mins, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the tomato purée and Worcestershire sauce, and cook for another minute.
-
step 3
If you want to make this in a slow cooker, transfer everything from the pan to the slow cooker. Add the beef along with the stock cube and 400ml water, or pour in the fresh stock, and cook on low for 6-8 hrs until the beef is tender. If cooking on the hob, return the beef to the pan, crumble in the stock cube and add 600ml water or the fresh stock. Cover with a lid and cook over a low heat for 3 hrs, topping up with a splash of water as needed if the stew is reducing quickly.
-
step 4
Remove the lid and cook for another 30 mins to reduce the liquid. If it’s not tender after this time, add a splash more water, cover and cook for another 30 mins, then check it again. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, then enjoy with mash and green veg, or cool and freeze for another day. Will keep chilled for three days or frozen for three months. Defrost in the fridge overnight, then reheat until piping hot.
Recipe tips
Use it up
Beef pie Tip the stew in to a pie dish and top with puff, rough puff or shortcrust pastry before baking until golden. Beef ragu Add 2 chopped garlic cloves with the veg in step 2 and replace 400g stock with a 400g can tomatoes (but also adding the stock cube in step 3). Finally, shred the beef into the sauce using forks. Toss with pappardelle or tagliatelle. Chilli beef Add 1 tsp each ground cumin, paprika, chilli powder and ground coriander with the veg in step 2, then add a 400g can black beans along with 1 tbsp chipotle paste 10 mins before the end of cooking. Serve the chilli in jacket potatoes or with rice, topped with soured cream and fresh coriander.
Recipe from Good Food magazine, February 2023
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A star rating of 4.5 out of 5.8 ratings
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