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- Cuisine: English
- Prep Time: 15 min(s)
- Cook Time: 3 hr(s)
- Serves 6
This is a traditional, rich, English stew/casserole. The ingredients can be varied according to what's at hand. It's best using the cheapest cuts of beef, cooked slowly, and the amount of vegetables can be increased to 'pad it out' to feed more people. It can also be topped with sliced or mashed potato to make a pie.
Ingredients
2-3 large onions
1-2 cloves garlic
2 large carrots
1kg stewing beef
Oil or fat for frying
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1-2 bay leaves
1-2 parsnips (optional)
1-2 sticks of celery (optional)
1-2 rashers of streaky bacon (optional)
2-3 large, flat, mushrooms cut into chunks
1-2 cups water, stock and/or red wine
Salt and pepper to taste
A little cornflour slaked with water to thicken
Preparation
Slice the onions thickly and cut the carrots into rings (not too thin). Slice the other vegetables and cut the bacon into lardons, if used. Cut the beef into 2.5cm cubes. Heat the oil or fat (beef dripping may be politically incorrect, but gives a wonderful rich flavour) in a cast iron casserole.
Gently fry the onions until soft and a light brown along with the bacon if used, being careful not to burn them. Add the carrots and any other vegetables being used and fry gently until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain (I use a sieve over a basin).
Reheat the fat to smoking point, add the beef and brown well. You may have to do this in batches to stop the pot from cooling down. The meat needs to be sealed quickly and shouldn't be allowed to ooze moisture. It also needs to be well browned - nice and crusty - to give the best colour and flavour.
Once all the meat is well browned return the vegetables to the pot along with the bay leaves and most of the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Add liquid, cover and simmer gently for two to three hours. Don't add too much liquid - the meat and vegetables should provide plenty of moisture.
The length of time depends on the cut of meat. Blade will cook in 90 minutes, gravy beef should have a good three hours, or even longer. Alternatively, put in a slow oven.
When the meat is tender add the slaked cornflour and bring to the boil for a minute or two to thicken. Serve with boiled rice and green vegetables.
If you enjoyed this Braised beef casserole recipe then browse more English recipes, stew recipes and our most popular hainanese chicken rice recipe.
English Restaurants
Displaying 10 of 68 English Restaurants.
| Restaurant | Book Online | Suburb | |
| 1. | Prince Albert Bar | Broadbeach | |
| 2. | Chesser Cellar | Adelaide | |
| 3. | De Bortoli Winery and Restaurant | Dixons Creek | |
| 4. | Fenix | Richmond | |
| 5. | Restaurant Balzac | Randwick | |
| 6. | Slug 'n' Lettuce Tavern | Parafield Gardens | |
| 7. | Four In Hand Hotel | Paddington | |
| 8. | The Lord Dudley Hotel | Woollahra | |
| 9. | Moon and Sixpence | Perth | |
| 10. | Bistrode CBD | Sydney |
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