Beef Stew/casserole Recipe?

[Steve]

My wife and boys are coming back to 10 degree, snow on the mountains Canberra after 4 days in balmy Sydney playing in the ocean. Want to make a nice big winter warming beef casserole for their dinner. Just wondering if anyones got any corker recipes. Theres heaps on google, just wanted to throw it out to the AHB food lovers.
Cheers
Steve

 

[schooey]

1kg beef cubes...(I use about 1") The better quality the beef you use, the better quality stew you get
Olive oil... However much yuou reckon you need without making it too oily for your tatse
Sliced carrots... two or three
A chunk of bacon... or speck, or pancetta (whatever you like really) and cube it up
Celery... two sticks, sliced
dash of celery salt
dash of onion powder
tablespoon of brown sugar
teaspoon thick balsamic
2 cloves garllic crushed
2 onions... chopped chunky
Spring onions... half a dozen cut in half
Thyme.. a handful Bay leaves... Three or four (fresh are the best)
1 bunch of parsley
1 cup of red wine... heat it and simmer for a while before using, takes the acidic edge out of the wine. I use a sweeter red, but if you like a ballsier stew, use a cab sav or similar big red
Handful of button mushrooms

Half a dozen more carrots, cooked to soften and then pureed... this thickens it with flavour

Right at the end you can chuck in some little chat spuds whole, or just serve on mash.

All you do is dust the beef in flour, season with S&P, brown in a heavy based pan with the Olive Oil. Do in batches so you don't end up with a pot full of liquid and tough beef. Once done, throw in all the veg except the mushies in the same pan with the herbs and the bacon, onion powder, celery salt and the garlic (in the remaining oil from the beef).

Once done, place the beef in a casserole dish and top with the veg and then cover with the red wine, beef stock, balsamic and brown sugar Give a stir. Slow cook in an oven for as long as it takes for the meat to reach that fall apart consistency (usually two hours). At the end, add the pureed carrots and the mushies. At this stage I add some baby chats, but if you are having with mash, don't bother. Cook for just long enough for the chats to be soft.

This isn't my recipe, I saw it on tele a while back and scribbled it down. I've prostituted a few things in and out and this is what I now use. It's been a bit of a family fave in winter since...

 

[Ducatiboy stu]

OOhhh and DUMPLINGS... :icon_drool2:

Just make up a dough with SR flour, cracked pepper and water and roll them into large golf balls and place on top when yopu put it in the oven.... :super:

 

[Steve]

1kg beef cubes...(I use about 1") The better quality the beef you use, the better quality stew you get
Olive oil... However much yuou reckon you need without making it too oily for your tatse
Sliced carrots... two or three
A chunk of bacon... or speck, or pancetta (whatever you like really) and cube it up
Celery... two sticks, sliced
dash of celery salt
dash of onion powder
tablespoon of brown sugar
teaspoon thick balsamic
2 cloves garllic crushed
2 onions... chopped chunky
Spring onions... half a dozen cut in half
Thyme.. a handful Bay leaves... Three or four (fresh are the best)
1 bunch of parsley
1 cup of red wine... heat it and simmer for a while before using, takes the acidic edge out of the wine. I use a sweeter red, but if you like a ballsier stew, use a cab sav or similar big red
Handful of button mushrooms

Half a dozen more carrots, cooked to soften and then pureed... this thickens it with flavour

Right at the end you can chuck in some little chat spuds whole, or just serve on mash.

All you do is dust the beef in flour, season with S&P, brown in a heavy based pan with the Olive Oil. Do in batches so you don't end up with a pot full of liquid and tough beef. Once done, throw in all the veg except the mushies in the same pan with the herbs and the bacon, onion powder, celery salt and the garlic (in the remaining oil from the beef).

Once done, place the beef in a casserole dish and top with the veg and then cover with the red wine, beef stock, balsamic and brown sugar Give a stir. Slow cook in an oven for as long as it takes for the meat to reach that fall apart consistency (usually two hours). At the end, add the pureed carrots and the mushies. At this stage I add some baby chats, but if you are having with mash, don't bother. Cook for just long enough for the chats to be soft.

This isn't my recipe, I saw it on tele a while back and scribbled it down. I've prostituted a few things in and out and this is what I now use. It's been a bit of a family fave in winter since...

lovely, cheers fella! Was thinking of swapping the red wine with a freshly kegged brown porter?
Cheers
Steve

 

[bconnery]

lovely, cheers fella! Was thinking of swapping the red wine with a freshly kegged brown porter?
Cheers
Steve

Great idea. While red wine in a casserole is great dark beers are a very good for stews too.
The above recipe is similar to what I do. but I'm a little more haphazard.
Lots of tomato and paste for the sauce, fresh herbs, basil, thyme, oregano, whatever's around.
Whatever vegies you want. I usually just brown the meat after the flour dusting with salt pepper and garlic in the oil...
I sometimes use pumpkin to thicken the sauce similar to the carrot method mentioned above.
One method if you don't have / don't want to cut up bacon is to use a tin of tomato and bacon soup as part of your sauce. Shortcut but it works nicely...

 

[schooey]

lovely, cheers fella! Was thinking of swapping the red wine with a freshly kegged brown porter?
Cheers
Steve

Yep. Works really well, Steve. I've even used a stout and it still turns out great. Like Ben said, sometimes the best stews are just thrown together from a loosely based recipe with whatever you have

 

[Steve]

Well she's simmering away. Walked to the local shops (as wifes got the car), froze me balls off, honest it was nearly snowing!

Roughly kilo n half rump steak
Carrots
Celery
Swede
Turnip
Bacon
Onions
Potatoes
Mushies
Tomatoes
Garlic
Worcester sauce
Oregano
Thyme
Parsley
Beef Stock
Tonys Bulls Tail Brown Porter

She smells sensational. Going to let that simmer for 3-4 hours and then put in a baking dish covered with sliced potatoes and cook for probably another hour in the oven. They better bloody like it! :lol:

Cheers!
Steve

 

[manticle]

1kg Beef chunks (as above- use quality)
2 cloves Garlic (diced)
1 chilli, finely chopped
1/3-1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground and dry roasted
4-5 slices short bacon
4-6 potatoes, fine dice
bunch baby carrots, fine dice
8 tomatoes, rough diced
Handful fresh thyme (chopped)
Handful fresh continental parsley (chopped)
Sea salt
Black pepper
sugar
2 x Fresh bay leaves
Red wine and/or dark beer (stout, porter etc)
Homemade beef stock *
Olive oil


Heat pan, add olive oil.

Fry off thyme, garlic and chilli with a bit of salt and pepper. Make sure it doesn't stick. My partner can't eat onion so I have dispensed with it in most cooking with no noticeable flavour difference - however you could add some shallots/small brown onions to this - just make sure they cook out to translucent. A note to any new south welshmen - shallots are a type of small brown onion, not green spring onion or scallions. Weirdos

Add bacon, stir frequently till bacon is slightly brown. You may need a bit of extra oil as you go to make sure garlic doesn't burn. Deglaze with small amounts of wine or beer to prevent sticking.

Add potatoes, season again (I season every ingredient as I go with just a touch unless it's something like bacon or olives), fry off till brown (again stir and deglaze if necessary to prevent sticking)

Add beef, season and brown.

Add cumin, deglaze with beer/wine.

Add carrots, season then add wine/beer, tomatoes, pinch sugar, bay leaves and cold stock, cover.

Bring to boil, reduce heat, leave covered and simmering until beef is tender (2-4 hours). Add small doses of wine/beer if required. Vegetables will cook out in this.

When beef is tender enough for your liking, add fresh chopped parsley and let sit, covered for 5 - 10 mins off heat. Serve with fresh bread and unsalted butter and a nice glass of one of the alcohol types you used to cook with.


*This is a recipe in itself and takes 12-24 hours so if that's not an option then use campbell's real stock and throw a caramelised veal shank or two in with the mix. To caramelise simply brown on the stove on an oven tray with olive oil, a tiny bit of salt and a tiny bit of sugar, then place in moderate/hot oven until brown and starting to stick. Deglaze pan with red wine, use whatever comes off naturally or with gentle encouragement from an implement. Do not scrape burnt bits off the pan and put them in.

A fantastic variation on this is to brown the beef as per above but then set aside (cover). Brown potatoes and roast in oven till crispy and fluffy. Cook up everything else as per above until tomatoes are thoroughly cooked, chuck in beef and potatoes and parsley, stir and let sit 5 - 10 mins. The potatoes will be crispy and fluffy, the beef whole and moist and medium/medium rare. It's a nice balance which doesn't require the same amount of cooking time but doesn't taste like a shortcut (potatoes still need to be roasted slowly and cared for while in the oven).

Field mushrooms are a nice addition too.

If you want a recipe for homemade beef stock/jus then let me know.

 

[schooey]

So, Steve.... how the hell did it go? Or was there too much porter added during cooking for you to type now?

Added to you I mean, not the stew...

 

[Steve]

So, Steve.... how the hell did it go? Or was there too much porter added during cooking for you to type now?

Added to you I mean, not the stew...

It was bloody beautiful. Slow cooked for about 4-5 hrs all up. Just sensational. Will definately do it again. Heaps left over for lunch today too with loads of fresh bread to soak up the gravy!.
Cheers
Steve