Beef Casserole
Beef casserole is the perfect batch cooked cooked winter dish. Super nutritious, it delivers protein, collagen, and phyto-nutrients. Can be cooked in the slow cooker, so put it on a Sunday afternoon head out and and when you come back you’ve got dinner or lunch for 5 days.
Beef casserole
Prep time- 20-30 mins.
Cooking time- 3 hours.
Serves- 6 portions.
Ingredients
2 celery sticks thickly sliced.
1 onion chopped.
2 really big carrots halved length ways then chunky slices.
5 bay leaves.
2 thyme sprigs 1 whole and leaves picked.
1 tbsp olive oil.
1 tbsp butter.
2 tbsp plain flour.
2 tbsp tomato purée.
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
Half a litre of beef stock.
850g stewing beef (feather blade or brisket works nicely), cut into nice large chunks.
Method
Heat oven to 160C/140C fan (or slow cooker).
Heat butter and olive oil in a flame proof casserole dish, then put 2 thickly sliced celery sticks, 1 chopped onion, 2 chunkily sliced carrots, 5 bay leaves and 1 whole thyme sprig.
Soften for 10 min, then stir in 2 tbsp plain flour until it doesn’t look dusty anymore, followed by 2 tbsp tomato purée, and 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce. (sometimes at the end ill add 200ml of red wine and let it bubble for another 10mins but its optional)
Gradually stir in 500-ml warmed stock, then tip in 850g stewing beef and bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover and put in the oven for 2 hrs 30 mins, then uncover and cook for up to 30mins, until the meat is really tender and the sauce is thickened.
Garnish with the picked leaves of the remaining thyme sprig and serve with rice or potatoes.
If you wish to store for later, remove from heat and empty carefully into storage container to be cooled in cold iced water in sink before refrigerating.