A classic beef stew recipe is a must for every home cook – and this one is described as a “traditional braised beef casserole with thick, rich gravy and chunky veg”
If you’re aiming to beef up your cooking skills, here’s a classic must-have for your arsenal – a traditional beef stew recipe.
Dubbed as the “traditional braised beef casserole with thick, rich gravy and chunky veg”, it’s touted as perfect for “ideal recipe for cheap cuts” that “guarantees tender results”. Prepping is quick, just 15 minutes, but patience will be your virtue since it takes around three hours to cook to perfection.
People who’ve tasted victory with this dish have rated it a resounding five stars, frequently hailing it as “absolutely delicious” and “easy to make”. Why not tackle this hearty meal during the wintry weather? And for those ready to roll their sleeves up, here are the makings of a magnificent stew, reports the Express.
Ingredients
- Two celery sticks, chopped
- One onion, chopped
- Two large carrots, halved lengthways then very chunkily sliced
- Five bay leaves
- Two thyme sprigs, one whole and one leaves picked
- One tablespoon vegetable oil
- One tablespoon butter
- Two tablespoons plain flour
- Two tablespoons tomato puree
- Two tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Two beef stock cubes, crumbled
- 850g stewing meat (feather blade or brisket works well), cut into generous chunks
Method
Kick off by preheating your oven to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 – and get your kettle whistling. Next, in a flameproof casserole dish, bring together the thickly sliced celery sticks, chopped onion, large carrot slices, bay leaves, and a whole thyme sprig with a splash of vegetable oil and a dollop of butter.
Let the veg cosy up and soften, a ten-minute task. Then mingle in the plain flour until the dusty look disappears, setting the stage for the rest of your culinary adventure.
Add the tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and crumbled beef stock cube to the mix. Gradually blend in 600ml hot water, chuck in the stewing beef and let it all simmer lightly.
Then pop a lid on your dish and whack it in the oven for two hours and 30 minutes. Later, whip off the cover for another half an hour of cooking to get your sauce nice and thick and your beef unbelievably tender – if you fancy it even more succulent, let it bubble away for an extra hour instead.
Once that rich beef stew is ready, sprinkle over some picked thyme leaves. People have been raving about this hearty dish below the recipe online. User fstewart1448 commented: “Absolutely delicious. I have struggled with beef stew in the past but this was a winner.” Another, Simonjwelch, noted: “Truly delicious and very quick and easy to make! Enjoyed it with a baked potato and some broccoli.”
And tracyacoleman79dogGZRn boasted: “This is hands down the best beef casserole I’ve ever made (I’ve made a few).”