I want to make a casserole.

No doubt someone will post a lovely ale casserole, but this is a alcohol-free one:

Yummy beef casserole:

To serve 4:

400g braising steak cut into chunks,
2/3 tbsp plain flour
200g peeled (but not chopped) shallots
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 carrots, cut into large chunks, or a pack of chanteray carrots, topped
half a swede, cut into chunks
1 can chopped tomatoes
1.5 pints beef stock
200g mushrooms, cut in half
3 bay leaves
sprig of fresh thyme
salt and pepper

1. Season your flour well with s+p. Toss the beef chunks in the flour. Fry the beef with the shallots and garlic for 5 minutes, till they start to brown.

2. Stir in carrots and swede, stir, cook for around 5 mins. Put tomatoes, stock, bay leaves and half the thyme in. Bring to the boil then put the lid on and reduce heat to simmer.

3. Leave to simmer for 30 mins, then add mushrooms, simmer for another 30 mins. Put the rest of the thyme in and serve :)

It's divine!
 
Yummy.:D

But, it's even better with Dumplings.

Dumpling Recipe Ingredients: Serves 4

100g self raising flour
50g shredded suet
Half an onion finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Cold water to mix

(Onion not essential, some like it, I don't.You can also add a pinch of parsley)

Dumpling Recipe:

1. Put all the ingredients into a mixing bowl add the cold water to form a soft dough.

2. Divide the dough into 4 or 6 balls and place them into the stew or casserole 20-30 minutes before the meat and vegetables are cooked.
 
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Whack some port (about quarter of a pint) and tomato puree (2 tablespoons) in there - really adds to the flavour!
 
Beef (or venison) in Guinness

500g of brisket cubed
1 large onion
flour
1 jar pickled walnuts
500ml guinness
sprig of rosemary

fry off the beef until lightly browned (in a flame proof casserole ideally)
add the onion (halved and sliced) and fry for a few minutes more
stir in 1/2 tablespoon of plain flour
add the guinness and rosemary
whack in oven for 3 hours at 140degC
1 hour before the end and the pickled walnuts (halved)

serve with mash
 
My best tip for beef casserole is to get the cheapest of the cheap cuts with lots of gristle and let it cook down for hours. It renders down into the softest, tastiest meat and makes the casserole gravy taste divine. If you use a better cut of meat it'll go tough and dry, while the cheap cuts go soft and gelatinous.

Ox tail and ox cheek are particularly good:

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Jonny69 said:
My best tip for beef casserole is to get the cheapest of the cheap cuts with lots of gristle and let it cook down for hours.
Click to expand...

Wish these cuts weren't so hard to source. I almost always have to get stuff like this on special order, and then it costs like regular cuts of meat.
 
If it's any help, Sainsburys normally have ox tail on the butcher counter and Waitrose usually keep both. Otherwise, just pick the cheap stewing beef and avoid the more expensive lean cuts :)
 
I actually had to make a casserole last night so here's my recipe since it was damn tasty :p

500g stewing steak, cut into large cubes
2 small onions, chopped
1 500ml bottle of ale
1 tablespoon of tomato puree
1/2 Oxo stock cube
1 tablespoon flour
Salt and pepper
Handful of pearl barley (optional)

Cube up the meat and roll it in the flour to coat. Fry it in some hot oil in a non-stick pan to sear some colour onto it. Fry the onions lightly until golden. Stick the meat and onions in the casserole dish and add the tomato puree and fry lightly. Add the beer, pearl barley (if you have it) and stock cube. Cook for two hours in a casserole or 35 minutes in a pressure cooker. You won't need to thicken it but check the seasoning at the end and add salt and pepper to taste :)
 
simple way to do one is:

sachet of chicken caserole
onion
chicken drum sticks/wings
chicken stock
500ml water

slow cook for about an hour, simples :D
 
try substitute stewing steak or braising steak with
ox cheek or feather steak. If you slow cook them,
the toughest part of the cut becomes jellified and
the rest tenderised. I improvise with my recipe
each time but browned onion always helps.
 
sausages, carrots, onion and cider, garlic, tomato and bay leaves in a wok is the way to go :p
 
Meat + Onions + Water + Casserole Dish + Oven = Win!

Never understood the need to fry off the meat. Doing so renders the gravy bland and not worthy of mashed potato!
 
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