Stewed steak/beef stew

Floyd used to chuck some down his throat first! 😉
"Time for a quick slurp."

Sago

Never just chuck wine in a casserole!
You should use the wine to de glaze the pan you have used to fry the meat and onions.
The wine must reach a high temperature to burn off the alcohol.
Wine will work well with mushrooms and onions with a bouquet garni of thyme and bay.
If you are using root vegetables leave out the wine and add a dollop of French mustard.

Oh, you old purist, you

Alcohol burns off at 78c, apparently (I've been googling) and the longer the cooking time the more is burnt off. So long slow cooking at simmering point will take care of the alcohol whether it's used for deglazing or just sloshed in.

I always fry my onions and meat first (catering trained, and that's how my mum did it...) but not everyone does; I'm sure they're perfectly happy with the results.

Anyway, there's lots here for the OP to choose from.

Bon appetit, GagaJo

Inspired by this thread and had shin of beef in my Ocado order today, I've just assembled a beef estofado (kitty doesn't like the word stew!) in the slow cooker.

Shin of beef - I think it's best as has some fat, not too lean
Red onion
Tin of cannellini beans
1 red bell pepper & 1 yellow bell pepper

Flavourings:
Dollop Dijon mustard
Splash Lea & Perrins
Salt, pepper & bouquet garni
Tomato puree
500mls vegetable stock (cube)

Time-saving tip: If you go for fresh beef, have a dog handy while preparing it for the pan.
Back when we had a dog, any bits of gristle or fat that I cut off used to be dropped out of my hand and they never reached the floor.

It is 25 years since we lost our lovely waste-disposal dog, but I still occasionally drop those unwanted bits without thinking and feel very silly when, instead of hearing our dog's teeth snapping them out of the air (100% success rate), they plop onto the floor.

I use shin too.
My lazy recipe is ready diced beef which I brown in metal casserole dish. I add a packet of casserole veg and a diluted beef stew flavour sachet. Lid on. Bung in oven long and low. Serve!

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. Aldi had some extra lean chopped steak on sale so I got it and it is currently in the slow cooker on high, with onions.

Did your meal live up to expectations, GagaJo?

A bit late to the party here but I would propose the theory that if you CBA to peel and chop fresh veg, don't use frozen ones because they have already been parboiled and won't give off so much flavour. Tinned veg should be OK, if you use the liquid in the tin. Just a theory, I haven't really experimented myself - I always have some shrivelled carrots, leeks, celery, mushrooms or courgettes in the bottom of the fridge to use up.

M0nica

Did your meal live up to expectations, GagaJo?

Ironically, by the time it is as ready, I didn't fancy it. I'm going to freeze it for later. Will make it again tho. Seemed to turn out ok.

Thanks for all the input everyone!

That is the problem when you set your heart on something, somehow it always, when you get t you feel it wasn't worth the effort.

I have been caught by that many times.

I had planned a beef stew for tomorrow, but haven’t got any beef in the freezer, which is a pain.

So liver and bacon planned instead.

Sago

Never just chuck wine in a casserole!
You should use the wine to de glaze the pan you have used to fry the meat and onions.
The wine must reach a high temperature to burn off the alcohol.
Wine will work well with mushrooms and onions with a bouquet garni of thyme and bay.
If you are using root vegetables leave out the wine and add a dollop of French mustard.

Thank you for your tip using French Mustard. I made a beefcasserole yesterday. I put in a dessert spoonful of French Mustard. Result.... A delicious, rich gravy. I shall always do this in future and will pass on the tip.

And don’t forget the dumplings………

I make a ragout which is small cubes of beef, diced carrots, fried onions, orange peel/juice, thyme, seasoning and a star anise. Half cover with some liquid and slow cook. This is lovely the next day. It might disintegrate a bit after being reheated a few times, at which stage you can layer it with potatoes and cook in the oven to brown.
When my kids were at home I used to make a huge one and they were happy to eat it for a few days.

i think you cant beat shin beef for lovely stew. i used to cook it in the pressure cooker and it was safe if we were sailing and is locked together. So I always fry onions first as think they taste different to just cut up and not fried, Then cut the shin into pieces and quickly seal. I love the taste of celery in a casserole so often add that , carrots , any root veg and mushrooms, add some gravy to which I add some marmite (only like that in gravy) and then pressure cook. No doubt these days use a slow cooker or whatever. I now live alone so have enough to freeze some for the future occasion, but if you are doing it in an oven add jacket potatoes . Often cook this in a morning when able to get about a bit better and think that the stew is actually better for leaving overnight and reheating. Oh could just eat it now!!

When i was able to stand and cook I used to make Boeuf Bourgignon. Now I can now longer to fry off meat and onions I now use the slow cooker.
Shin of beef, frozen stew pack (minus some of the carrots.They are cheaper and heavier so keep the price of the pack down) beef stock cube, garlic granules, mixed herbs, tomatoes purée, sometimes some red lentils. Herb dumplings twenty minutes before serving.
Thinking to save standing I ordered a dumpling pack from Sainsburys. Read the back of the pack. Full of all sorts of additive. Take longer to make. No suet! Gave it to my help.

cc

I make a ragout which is small cubes of beef, diced carrots, fried onions, orange peel/juice, thyme, seasoning and a star anise. Half cover with some liquid and slow cook. This is lovely the next day. It might disintegrate a bit after being reheated a few times, at which stage you can layer it with potatoes and cook in the oven to brown.
When my kids were at home I used to make a huge one and they were happy to eat it for a few days.

Oh cc, how many times did you reheat it? Surely, leftovers should be reheated only once??

If you are using root vegetables leave out the wine and add a dollop of French mustard.

Do you mean the brown Colman's "French mustard" or mustard from France?

I invariably use beef, onions, garlic, mushrooms, stock gel, herbs, red wine. Cook in a very low oven for about 4 hours first day then about 2 second day. Last half hour raise the temperature to 180 and put in dumplings. Serve with something like leeks, carrots or whatever is around. I don't like putting root veggies in a casserole cooked this way as I prefer veggies slightly undercooked.

Delia Smith does a great stew with brisket and Guinness. If you Google it, Google beef and stout stew. Very tender with a rich gravy, perfect with mash.

1 tin vegetable soup, fresh stewing steak cubed, tin tomatoes, onion, carrots, mixed herbs, oxo cubes, any veg leftover frozen or fresh, dash of wine, 2 Bay leaves, cubed potatoes and halved potatoes. Put in slow cooker. Add dumping for last half hour.

Recipe? Whats that?
My casseroles are organic and never end up the same but everyone says they are super tasty. Basics of onions, tomatoes, mushrooms, and whatever veg needs eating gets either grated or cut into chunks or a selection of both. So grate your carrots You wont even know they are in there! . Cheap meat cut into small cubes. I sometimes use packet mixes. Or a couple of beef stock cubes and add garlic, peppers and chillis. Tend to put in a few pulses too. Cook it slowly. I fry onions in garlic butter. Pre brown the meat and throw it all in the slow cooker on high for an hour then low for several hours. Often best reheated the next day. Served with dumplings which are very easily made with suet and seasoned flour and added for the last hour or with cheese scone plopped in. Fresh herbs chopped on top to serve if you have any. I might just have make one tomorrow now.

Obviously use seasoning and add liquid in as well . A generous slash of ale or red wine is good too!

A lot of brilliant casserole tips so far 😀 the one I seem to have a hit with, of late, is by my lucky find “Nicky’s Kitchen Sanctuary” and her Slow cooked Scottish beef stew 😀 I personally add 4/6 dumplings in 45 minutes before the end. I get on really well with a lot of her recipes.