Slow-cooker beef stew

Method 1

Ingredients

1 onion, chopped

2 celery sticks, finely chopped

2tbsp rapeseed oil

3 carrots, halved and cut into chunks

2 bay leaves

thyme

2tbsp tomato purée

2tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 beef stock cubes or stock pots

900g beef for braising such as skirt, buy a whole piece and cut it yourself for bigger chunks or buy ready-diced

2tsp cornflour (optional)

parsley, chopped

buttery mash, to serve (optional)

STEP 1

Fry the onion and celery in 1 tbsp oil over a low heat until they start to soften – about 5 mins. Add the carrots, bay and thyme, fry for 2 mins, stir in the purée and Worcestershire sauce, add 600ml boiling water, stir and tip everything into a slow cooker. Crumble over the stock cubes or add the stock pots and stir, then season with pepper (don’t add salt as the stock may be salty).

STEP 2

Clean out the frying pan and fry the beef in the remaining oil in batches until it is well browned, then tip each batch into the slow cooker. Cook on low for 8-10 hrs, or on high for 4 hrs.

STEP 3

If you want to thicken the gravy, mix the cornflour with a splash of cold water to make a paste, then stir in 2 tbsp of the liquid from the slow cooker. Tip back into the slow cooker, stir and cook for a further 30 mins on high. Stir in the parsley and season again to taste. Serve with mash, if you like. Leave to cool before freezing.

RECIPE TIPS

QUICK HACK

If you are running short of time, you can put everything except the cornflour and parsley in a slow cooker without frying it first and simply switch it on. It won’t have quite the same depth of flavour, but you will still have a delicious beef stew.

Method 2

Ingredients:

- 2 pounds of stewing beef, cut into chunks

- 1 onion, diced

- 3 carrots, peeled and sliced

- 3 celery stalks, sliced

- 2 potatoes, peeled and cubed

- 3 cloves of garlic, minced

- 1 can of diced tomatoes

- 4 cups of beef broth

- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme

- 1 teaspoon of dried rosemary

- Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a large skillet, sear the beef in some oil until browned on all sides.

2. Transfer the beef to the slow cooker and add the onion, carrots, celery, potatoes, garlic, diced tomatoes, beef broth, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper.

3. Stir everything together and cover the slow cooker with the lid.

4. Cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours until the beef is tender.

5. Serve hot and enjoy your delicious slow-cooker beef stew!

Comments

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