Beef Stew

Anna — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 12:48:56 +0000

Good old fashioned Beef stew. What is there to say about it? Nourishing, thick, warming, tasty and packed with good stuff. Just the thing for the colder months. Economical too as it uses a cheaper cut of meat and root vegetables which as always gratifyingly reasonable. Increase the meat a little and you can feed an army.

Here’s the veggie quota – please note the tin of baked beans. Vital, it is. VITAL. (According to my Grandad, thus according to my Mum, thus according to me)

It’s a lot of veggies, so I fry them off in two batches in my casserole. A knob of butter and a drizzle of oil, then start with the sliced carrots and parsnips with the diced swede. Fry them off a bit, then remove

and replace with the chopped onion and celery.

Remove that lot too and add a packet (about 450g) of casserole or stewing steak. You might need to add a little more oil. Fry the meat off until it’s browned.

Return the veggies and empty the tin of beans into it.

Pour in about a pint if beef stock and a crumbled Oxo cube. Lid on and into the oven. GM3/160C/325F for about, well it depends on the meat. Look at about 3 hours.

Here it is after 1.5 hours. the veg is happy, but the meat is still tough.

After about 2hr 45 mins, the meat is tender and everything is softened and thick (thanks, baked beans!)

Yes. Dumplings. (tut) The male people of the family were outraged that I didn’t offer dumplings, so I made some. Good thing, really. They were very nice. Have a look at the mince and dumplings post to see dumplings.

As with all stews, freezes beautifully – it’s always worth having a portion in the freezer. So to speak.

————————-

Beef Stew

PRINT THIS RECIPE (opens in a new window)

1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 swede, diced
1 parsnip, sliced/chopped
2 sticks celery, chopped
1 (400g) tin baked beans
450g pack casserole or stewing steak
1 pt beef stock
1 oxo cube

Preheat oven to GM3/160C/325F

In a large hob-proof casserole, heat a knob of butter and a drizzle of oil.
Fry off the onion, carrot, celery, swede and parsnip – in batches if necessary.
Remove veg to a bowl and – adding more oil if necessary – fry off the meat.

Once the meat is browned, return the veg to the casserole.
Empty the tin of baked beans into it with the stock and oxo cube. Stir to combine.
Put the lid on and into the oven for around 3 hours or until the meat is tender and the gravy has thickened.

Pop some dumplings into it if you like!

2oz beef suet
4oz self-raising flour
salt and pepper
approx 5 tbsp cold water

Combine the suet, flour and s+p in a medium bowl.
Going cautiously, add around 5 tbsp cold water and stir into the flour mix with a blunt ended knife to combine into a firm dough.
Shape the dough into balls – 8 average balls is about right.

Place your dumplings on top of your simmering mince, slap the tight fitting lid back on and cook for 20-25 minutes.
Serve piping hot.

Savoury Mince and Dumplings

Anna — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 16:33:12 +0000

When August becomes September, there is a psychological shift from Summer to Autumn; not just that, but the weather is driving the point home. Summer’s almost gone. Nothing better when the wind is howling and your short sleeved tops are feeling a bit inadequate than making some warming mince with dumplings. Just to gently ease you back into seasonal comfort eating; reserving, of course, your right to return to salad and ice cream should an Indian Summer make an appearance.

This is not a finely tuned recipe, no disaster involving poor measuring can ruin this meal. This recipe is not the definitive recipe, it’s just a record of the way we like savoury mince.

So I start with about 4 carrots, a stick of celery and a large onion.

I halve the carrots and celery lengthways and then finely slice them. I finely chop the onion.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil and a knob of butter in a pan. I use a le Creuset pot, but prior to owning that, I used my largest saucepan or saute pan.

Add the vegetables and gently fry them for 5-10 mins or so to soften slightly.

Add the beef mince and stir it round whilst it browns.

I then add 1 tbsp plain flour and cook that out

see how glossy it’s gone? It’s also at greater risk of catching now, so keep it moving.

Repeat with a tbsp tomato puree.

Then I add ½ tsp Marmite,

a splattering of Worcestershire Sauce, a scrape of nutmeg and sometimes, some salt and pepper.

Add ½ pint beef stock – stirring it in well to get any tasty bits dislodged from the bottom of the pan.

Cover and simmer for around 30-45 mins until the veg is softened and the flavours are coming together. Do keep popping in to stir it whilst it cooks though. Sometimes when I taste it, it’s spot on, but sometimes it needs….well, something. My go-to remedy is a crumbled Oxo cube and a restrained squirt of tomato ketchup.

Oh, yes, there’s nothing to stop you transferring it to an oven proof dish once the stock is added – it could sit in a low oven happily for a couple of hours.

At this point, you could serve it as is – with a baked potato, or mash, some green veg – whatever.

Or you could cool and freeze it.

Or pop it in the fridge until tomorrow – it will only enhance the flavour if it’s left to ponder itself for a day.

Or you could make some dumplings….

Put 2oz suet, 4oz of self raising flour and some salt and black pepper into a medium bowl. Snip some herbs in too if you like. Thyme would be nice.

Mix that to combine, then going carefully, add about 5 tbsp cold water and stir together with a blunt ended knife to combine into a firm dough.

Separate the dough into about 8 and roll into balls. Well, dumplings.

Make sure your mince is simmering and place them on top.

Cover with a tight fitting lid and simmer for 20-25 mins until they are voluminous and fluffy.

Serve piping hot. Delish.

Savoury Mince and Dumplings

PRINT THIS RECIPE (opens in a new window)
Mince:
500g beef mince
4 carrots, halved lengthways and sliced
1 stick celery, finely sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp plain flour
1 tbsp tomato puree
a splatter Worcestershire Sauce
½ tsp Marmite
scrape of nutmeg
½ pt beef stock
Oxo cube (optional)
squirt of ketchup (optional)
salt and pepper

To make the mince:
Heat a little oil and a knob of butter in a large saucepan or saute pan.
Add the vegetables and fry on a low-medium heat for about 5-10 mins to soften slightly.
Add the mince and cook until browned.

Stir in the flour, letting it cook out for a couple of minutes – watch it doesn’t catch.
Add the tomato puree and cook out again for a couple of minutes.
Add the Worcester sauce, marmite, nutmeg and some salt and pepper.
Add the stock – stirring well to get any tasty bits off the bottom of the pan.
Put lid on and simmer for at least 30-45 mins until the veg has softened and the flavours are coming together. Be sure to stir it every now and again.
If it needs ‘something’, consider adding a crumbled Oxo cube and a squirt of tomato ketchup.

At this point, you can cool and refrigerate it then freeze it or keep in the fridge overnight. It does it no harm to sit for a day before eating.
Or you can serve it now with vegetables and maybe some potato.
Or you can keep it at simmering point and

Make some dumplings:

2oz beef suet
4oz self-raising flour
salt and pepper
approx 5 tbsp cold water

Place your dumplings on top of your simmering mince, slap the tight fitting lid back on and cook for 20-25 minutes.
Serve piping hot.

cream until fluffy » fluffy dumplings

Beef Stew

Savoury Mince and Dumplings