Beef Casserole Recipe
This rich, flavoursome beef casserole makes a great cold-weather dish. The slow simmering tenderises cheaper, tougher cuts of meat. The amount of red wine in the recipe can be increased if you like a strong red wine flavour (reduce the stock by a corresponding amount). We serve this dish with creamy mashed potatoes, steamed green beans, and crusty bread.
Serves 5-6.
2 tablespoons (40ml) oil
1kg round or chuck steak, trimmed of fat and cut into bite-sized pieces
200g bacon, rind removed and cut into small pieces
1 large (about 200g) onion, peeled and finely diced
2 medium (about 120g each) carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 medium cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
150g mushrooms, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons (24g) plain flour
1 tablespoon (24g) tomato paste
1 tablespoon (20ml) brandy
125ml (1/2 cup) red wine
750ml (3 cups) chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Salt and pepper, to taste
Parsley, to garnish
Heat oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan or frying pan over high heat. Fry the beef in 2-3 batches so as not to overcrowd the pan. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4-8 minutes, until browned on all sides. Remove meat from pan and set aside.
Reduce heat to medium; add bacon, onion, carrot, garlic and mushrooms to pan. Add some extra oil if needed. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 6-7 minutes, until vegetables have softened.
Add flour to pan and stir over medium heat for 30 seconds. Stir in tomato paste and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in brandy, red wine, stock, and bay leaf.
Return meat and any juices to pan. Cover pan (have the steam vent on the lid open), increase heat, and bring mixture to the boil. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and cook for about 1 hour and 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove lid from pan and increase heat to maintain simmer. Continue simmering for about 30-40 minutes. Add some water or extra stock if the sauce reduces too much. If using a very tough cut of meat, the cooking time may need to be increased. When the meat is tender (you should be able to flake it with a fork) remove from heat and discard bay leaf. Season with salt and pepper.
Spoon casserole onto plates, sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. Alternatively, store the casserole in the refrigerator or freezer and reheat when required. © www.exclusivelyfood.com.au
28 Comments:
Have made this twice now,it's absolutely gorgeous!Perfect for a winter's evening.Have to admit I hace tweaked it a little bit.I found the 3 cups of stock to be a liitle too much liquid,so the second time I made it I only used 2,and it was just how I like it.I also added lots of other veg,so it was a meal in one.
Cant wait to try out all your other recipes!
Hi, I don't drink any alcohol and wanted to know what other alternatives I can use for brandy and red wine
You could add some extra chicken stock to replace the red wine and brandy. If you don't mind using a product with a very low alcohol content, you could try dealcoholised wine (available from supermarkets).
Hi,
they all sound yummy, but my wife and I have a problem, like so many others, we have both been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, and have been advised to have low salt, low sugar and low fat meals, can you plese help?
many thanks Rob Barron
Hello, I cooked this dish last night with creamy mash and crusty bread. My husband and I both enjoyed it! We are having the chicken casserole tonight.
Hi Rob
We will keep your request in mind when developing new recipes. Hopefully we will be able to include some diabetic-friendly recipes in the future.
If you boil the mixture for a few minutes the alchohol will evaporate leaving only the delicious flavour of the Brandy And the Wine. So no alchohol will be consumed.
I don't like the smell of cooked red wine so I used 60mls of balsamic vinegar instead of 125mls of red wine and increase the amount of chicken stock by 70mls. That way I still have the wine taste but not the smell. I also add in 1 teaspoon of salt + 3 teaspoon of sugar. It was just sooo good :)
Loved this recipe! Having come back to University without my cookbooks, the internet's my recipe book. Thanks so much! It's JUST been finished off. Perfection.
This dish is fantastic...have made it several times now and it just gets better and better everytime. A winner with the family
Great recipe. I use 3 Tbs of flour to ensure a thicker gravy. I've also noticed that the chuck steak has to be diced by hand, a slightly labourious process I didn't enjoy. Is the diced stuff at the supermarket too tender for casserole? Is there any difference in the cuts of beef?
Hi Troy,
The diced beef available at supermarkets is usually a tougher cut of beef so would be suitable to use in this recipe.
HI, I AM FROM THE UK AND A VERY DEAR FRIEND OF MINE SENT ME YOUR WEBSITE AND I HAVE MADE MANY OF YOUR RECIPES AND EVERY ONE OF THEM HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL AND VERY TASTY, I WOULD LIKE TO THANK YOU AND TO SAY KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. EXCELLENT SITE.
To the person who asked about the wine - don't worry about the alcohol because it will boil off (alcohol boils at about 76 degrees) leaving you with the rich red wine taste!
This is a great reecipe and was a big hit with the family tonight. Subtle bacon, mushroom and wine flavours which didn't overwhelm the rich gravy. The meat was super tender as well. Very easy to make as well. By popular vote it has been added to the fanily's favourites.
This recipe is fantastic! Very yummy! I have never been able to make a great casserole - my husband talks about his mothers with longing- but this one was great and we both loved it!
I was just wondering which particular wine you used in this recipe? I come from a family of non-drinkers so I am a bit lost in a bottle shop.
We usually ask the bottle shop attendant to recommend a reasonably priced wine that is nice to drink and not too oaky. You could freeze the remaining wine for use in cooking. If you would prefer to buy a smaller amount of wine, you could use a McWilliams red wine sachet.
hi debbie and amanda another great recipe really good and hearty for that cold winter night and serve with mashed potatoe thanks again
This has been added to my favourite recipe collection! Thanks
Great Recipe,kids loved it so much seconds was on,and i used balsmic vinger for the wine and brandy.
this is in my recipe book.
thanks
I'm making this for dinner for some friends. Can't wait to try it out.
Since the cooking time is rather long, how would you recommend making it one day ahead & reheating it the next day? Can I freeze leftovers?
This is the first recipe I've tired out using wine (Also the first of your recipes I've tried). I couldn't resist trying it 'cos of all the positive comments.
It was fantastic! I had a friend over & she loved it too. The meat was so tender & it was just a good amount of wine - not too overpowering as I'm not a wine drinker.
Got lots of more of your recipes I want to try out!
This receipe sounds great but i was wondering would it be ok to put in a slow cooker if so what cariation would i need and for how long. Thanks in advance.
Jo
Hi Jess,
The casserole can be made a couple of days in advance and stored in the refrigerator until required. It is also suitable to freeze.
I would also be interested to know if this can be cooked in a slow cooker and if so what variation to the recipe is required. I've just purchased a slow cooker and am keen to try out some recipes in it. Thanks
hi to the people wanting to know if you can make it in a slow cooker i will let you know i just chucked it all in there but put only two cups of liquid see how it goes
To the people who have asked about making this casserole in a slow cooker: We think this recipe would be suitable for a slow cooker. However, we haven't tested the casserole in a slow cooker (we don't own one) so we can't advise on the cooking time or any other changes you might need to make. If you do try it, please let us know how it turns out.
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