You’re going to hear me say this a lot .... I love this recipe! I love that it’s easy to cook, I love that it’s a family favourite and I love the yummy taste!
I have wanted this recipe for a long time and never really knew where it had come from. I assumed from one of my grandmothers as my mum always enjoyed making this and receiving the compliments that went along with it.
When I decided to go along with my blog, I sat down with mum brainstorming away and mentioned my grans amazing beef stew that she used to make.
My mum looked bewildered: ‘What beef stew of your grandmothers I used to make?’
Me: ‘You know the one mum, the one you make with the onions and the red wine?’
My mum, now laughing: ‘Oh, the one I taught her how to make?’
Me: ‘Errrrrmmmm maybe, yeah ok, I thought it was hers?
My mum, now laughing and can just about talk: ‘I memorised this recipe whilst sitting with you at the doctors surgery back in the 80’s. Didn’t you know?’
No mum, I didn’t know, I thought it was passed down! I feel deceived ....who is she?
She’s still laughing.
Ingredients
1kg Stewing Beef
1 Fingers of Olive oil
2 Packets of Baby Button Mushrooms
2 Pickling Onions or Shallots
4 Carrots
2 Bay Leaf
1/2 Cinnamon Stick
1/2 Tsp Salt
Pepper
1 Heaped Tbsp Flour
400ml Passata
400ml Red Wine
1 Cup of Water
Method
Wash & drain cubed casserole beef & fry in a glug of olive oil until it changes colour. Drain the beef.
Fry shallots in the remaining olive oil in a separate pan and once browned, throw in the carrot chunks. Once the carrots are soft add in the mushrooms, bay leaf, cinnamon, salt & pepper. Stir and cook for a further couple of minutes.
Add the meat to the vegetables adding the flour, red wine, passata & water. Cook on hob until sauce thickens slightly before placing in a pyrex in the oven for approximately 2 hours covering with silver foil.
After the first hour, carefully remove from the oven and give everything a good stir. At this point, taste the dish adding a small cup of water. Anything which may be missing can be added here. At this point, anything added is for personal preference.
Tips
I take the time to remove all fat and nerves from the beef, anything that is white within the pieces, I cut away. This will improve the dish immensely and you will find those eating it will not be removing bits from their mouths whilst eating! Yuck!
Passata and wine should always be equal amounts.
I tend to use an entire small bottle of red wine in this dish but this can be overpowering for some. Initially I recommend you use 3/4 of a small bottle, if you want to add more, you may, before placing into the oven for the second time but remember to top up the Passata and give everything a good stir.
Always cover your meat with silver foil whilst in the oven as this will quicken the cooking process, encourage the meat to become tender and prevent drying out.
Cost
Cost under £20 for 4 persons.