Easy Beef Stew in the Slow Cooker

What can be more inviting than returning to the van to smell the aroma of a hearty beef stew bubbling away nicely in the slow cooker? It is so simple to make in the morning then leave it all day so its really just a case of dishing up when you're ready for it. No cooking tonight and very little washing up gets a big thumbs up from our family.

Ingredients:

Phase 1:
750g Stewing steak
1x Bottle (330ml) Cider
300g Carrots, chopped and peeled
200g Baby button mushrooms
500g Pancetta
1x Can of chickpeas (300g)
2x Garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
500g New potatoes
2x Onions
1tbsp Dijon mustard
1tbsp Soy sauce
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1tsp Ground black pepper
1tsp Smoked paprika
1tsp Dried mixed herbs
1x Bay leaf
1x Star anise petal
500ml Water
2x Beef stock cubes

Phase 2:
1x Can of butter beans
1x Cup of peas
1x Cup of broad beans
1tbsp Butter
1tbsp Plain flour


Method:

1. If the stewing steak isn't cut into chunks do that then season and brown in a frying pan before putting in the slow cooker.
2. Add everything else in phase 1 to the slow cooker then leave it on low all day.
3. When you get back to the van  commence phase 2 by mixing the butter and flour into a paste to make a beurre manié and add it to the slow cooker along with beans and peas. Allow to cook for half an hour then serve with some nice bread and butter.

Oxtail and Guinness Puddings

I have to admit I did make these puds at home and just steamed them in the van, but there is absolutely no reason why they can't be made from scratch in the caravan. We had these on arrival day so I wanted something tasty but not too time consuming to cook. I have taken inspiration from Heston's steak and kidney puds but instead of cooking in wine and brandy I'm using Guinness instead, plus Mrs Larry absolutely hates kidneys so they've been omitted too. Three ingredients that do massively compliment beef are rosemary, mushroom and star anise, so I've included them all! The puds themselves are crammed full of meat and probably full of many unctuous calories so they really are a treat.

Ingredients:
(serves 4)

For the Oxtail:
1.6kg Oxtail
2x Large onions, sliced
2x Carrots, peeled and sliced
200g Chestnut mushrooms
1x Can of Guinness
1x Can of water (just fill up the empty Guinness can)
4x Garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1x Bay leaf
1x Thyme sprig
1x Rosemary sprig
1x Star anise
1x Beef stock cube
2tbsp Tomato puree
1tbsp Worcestershire sauce (or Hendersons if you're Yorkshire)
1tbsp Balsamic vinegar

For the Suet Pastry:
140g Atora suet
280g Self raising flour
5g Salt
160ml Cold water


Method:

1. Lets make the pastry by mixing all the ingredients together and work into a dough. The water isn't a precise measurement so add it slowly until you have a nice ball of dough. Stick it in a freezer bag in the fridge.
2. Liberally grease your pudding moulds with butter and put them in the freezer.
3. Season the oxtail well then in a frying pan place them fat sides down. When the fat has been released turn them and brown on all sides then transfer to a casserole dish.
4. Into the casserole dish goes the stock cube, mushrooms, bay, thyme, rosemary, star anise, Worcestershire sauce and balsamic vinegar.
5. Now fry the onions and carrots in the beef fat for 5 minutes. Add the tomato puree and garlic and continue cooking and stirring for a few more minutes. Pour in the Guinness, bring to a simmer, then transfer all to the casserole dish.
5. Deglaze the pan with the can of water, bring to a simmer and pour into the casserole dish.
6. Put the casserole in the oven on gas mark 2 (150C) for about 3 hours.
7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Pick all the meat out and discard the veg and bones by sieving the cooking gravy into a jug. Let the gravy cool so all the fat rises to the top and skim it off.
8. For each pudding roll out about 120g of the suet dough into a circle and line the pudding mould. Fill the mould with meat and gravy, pack it in there so it is almost bursting, then trim the pastry edges and roll that out into a circle. Brush the rim of the pud pastry with water and put the circle on as a lid, trim and press down the edges then top with parchment paper secured with an elastic band.
9. Pop the puddings in a pan of water where the water comes half way up the moulds. Put the pan lid on and steam for 30 minutes.
10. Heat your remaining gravy gently in a saucepan.
11. When the puddings are done gently ease them out of the moulds on to plates. You can use a flavour injector to inject more gravy into them or just pour more over them and tuck in!

Côte de Boeuf

A côte de boeuf is basically a big thick slice of rib eye steak with the bone still in. It's definitely a cut for sharing and boy what a cut of meat it is too. It's not cheap by any standard but as a treat, or if you're lucky enough to see one on offer, it is melt in your mouth amazing. In my view adding a sauce of any description would detract from the fantastic flavour of the meat, all it needs is well seasoning and a bit of butter to finish and that's it.

Ingredients:

1x Côte de Boeuf, about 700g


Method:

1. Take the meat out of the fridge an hour before cooking.
2. Put the oven on at gas mark 7.
3. Smear the steak in oil and season well with salt.
4. Get a big frying pan or griddle smoking hot and sear the steak on both sides for about 2-3 minutes each side.
5. Now season with pepper and transfer to the oven for 20 minutes
6. Remove from the oven and allow to rest with a big blob of butter on top.
7. Slice and serve.

Black Country Beef Stew - Groaty Pudding

Groaty pudding is a traditional Black Country dish made from beef and oats and is slow cooked either in the oven or on the hob. Locally and affectionately it is known as Groaty Dick and I doubt I'm not the only one who finds that just a little bit funny. Childishness aside it is a very tasty, easy and warming stew and is perfect served up with chunks of oat bread and butter. As we are visiting the wonderful Black Country Living Museum this fresh and bracing autumnal weekend (hunting for Santa) it is the perfect comfort meal inviting us back to the snug and cosy van.

Ingredients:

500g Stewing steak
2tbsp Oatmeal
2tbsp Parched peas (soaked overnight / optional)
3tbsp Pearl barley
1x Large onion, diced
1x Carrot, peeled and sliced
1x Garlic clove, crushed
1x Leek, sliced
2x Celery sticks, sliced
500ml Beef stock
1x Tin of chopped tomatoes
500ml Water

1tsp Mace

1tsp Smoked paprika
1tsp Turmeric (I am trying use more turmeric as it is good for you)
1tsp Balsamic vinegar
2x Cloves
1tsp Marmite
2x Bay leaves
1tbsp Chopped rosemary leaves
1tsp Thyme leaves
Spring onion for garnish


Method:

1. Season the beef then in a frying pan brown it in batches then transfer to a big casserole dish.
2. In the same fry pan sweat off the onions for 5 minutes then pour in the stock, tomatoes and water and bring to a simmer. Pour into the casserole dish.
3. Add all the remaining ingredients to the casserole dish and cook in the oven on gas mark 3 for about 3 hours.
4. Plate up with some nice bread and butter, garnish with a bit of sliced spring onion if you have some and tuck in!

Medieval Beef Pottage

Continuing with our trip to Ironbridge, and looking at traditional cooking from the 1700's, tonight sees us trying the age old working class staple of pottage. Pottage is basically a thick stew or soup where all the ingredients simply get boiled in the pot. There is no set recipe for pottage, you just bung what you have into the pot and hope it turns out great, which it usually does.

Ingredients:

500g Stewing beef
2x Slices bread
3tbsp Pearl barley
1x Onion, diced
2x Carrots, peeled and sliced
1x Parsnip, peeled and cut into chunks
1/2 Swede, peeled and cut into chunks
1x Leek, sliced
1/4 Red cabbage, diced
1tsp Thyme
1tbsp Parsley stalks, chopped
1tsp Mace
550ml Water


Method:

1. In a large pan or pot on the stove brown the meat on all sides.
2. Add the diced onion and keep stirring.
3. In goes the remaining veg, thyme, parsley stalks and mace.
4. Pour in the water and pearl barley and bring to the boil then reduce to a slow simmer.
5. Top with the bread then pop on a lid. Cook for at least 2 hours and stir occasionally after the bread has dissolved.

Tip: I know they wouldn't have had stock cubes back in the 1700's but I do suggest adding one for flavour.

Dorset Jugged Steak

When you think of a jugged dish you immediately think of jugged hare that is cooked in its own blood. Don't worry, jugged steak is not as adventurous as that, jugged can also mean slowly cooked to retain flavour and this dish does exactly that. Traditionally it would be cooked with port but as I had some cider I gave it a whirl with that and it worked well. I like the fact that the steak casserole is topped with balls of sausagemeat, it adds a really tasty extra dimension and is perfect for carnivores like me.

Ingredients:

900g Stewing steak, cut into bite-size pieces
2tbsp Plain flour
1x Medium onion, diced
2x Cloves
250ml Cider
350ml Beef stock
250g Sausagemeat
1x Star anise petal
1x Rosemary sprig, leaves removed and finely chopped
2tbsp Parsley, chopped to add as topping
Salt and pepper


Method:

1, Turn on the oven to gas mark 3.
2. Toss the steak in the flour then put it in an oven proof casserole dish.
3. Add the onion, cloves, star anise and rosemary with a pinch of salt and pepper then top with the cider and stock.
4. Bring to a simmer on the hob then put the lid on the dish and pop it in the oven for 2.5 hours.
5. Roll your sausagemeat into balls and drop them into the casserole dish and cook uncovered for a further 30 minutes.
6. We served ours with some simple sauteed runner beans and garlic mash all topped with those fresh parsley leaves.

Pot Braised Beef Brisket in Port Gravy

With Christmas done and dusted there was still plenty of wine and port left over in our caravan so I thought lets bung it all in a stew. Slowly roasting a brisket in a pot turns the meat into that lovely stringy melt in your mouth deliciousness, and coupled with a rich sticky port and cranberry gravy Christmas certainly isn't over just yet.

Ingredients:

1kg Beef brisket
1x Large onion, roughly chopped
2x Carrots cut into 1cm slices
2x Sticks of celery
10x Mushrooms, halved
1x Leek, cut into 2cm slices
1x Star anise
1tsp Caraway seeds
1x Bay leaf
1x Sprig of thyme
1x Large glass of port, about 250ml
2x Large glasses of red wine
4x Garlic cloves
1tsp black peppercorn
2tbsp Cranberry sauce
500ml Stock


Method:

1. Cook the onions in a frying pan for 5-10 mins then pour them into a casserole pot.
2. Season the brisket all over then brown in the frying pan then place on top of the onions.
3. Pour the port, wine and stock to the frying pan and bring to the boil.
4. Add the chopped veg and all other ingredients to the casserole pot then pour over the hot porty-wine-stock mixture.
5. Place the pot in the oven on gas mark 2 for about 4 hours or until the meat is falling apart.
6. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside.
7. Strain the vegetables from the gravy and discard then get the gravy reducing on the hob.
8. Thicken the gravy with a little cornflour mixed with water and season to taste.
9. Plate up! We served ours with some simple roasted veg and some lovely crusty white bread and butter.

Somerset Mince

We've had a lovely time here in Somerset and I have to say this CL site in Perry Green is absolutely lovely. It's called Manor Farm CL and Pam the owner has been a most excellent host. In her small shop (that stocks everything you couldn't think of to forget) she has a delicious local cider that I cant help cooking with so tonight we're trying mince beef and onions with a bit of cabbage and veg in a gravy made from that delicious Somerset cider.

Ingredients:

Mince beef, 500g
1x Onion, diced
Cabbage, shredded
Carrot, peeled and chopped
Mushrooms, quartered
Celery, sliced
Garlic, 1 crushed clove
Cider, a good vintage or local if possible, about half a bottle
Mixed veg as a side

Method:

1. In a wok or big frying pan add a glug of oil and sweat off the onions until translucent.
2. Add the garlic and beef and brown for a minute.
3. Add the four c's. Pour in the cider then chuck in the cabbage, carrots and celery.
4. Simmer and stir for about half an hour then mix in the mushrooms.
5. Season to taste and serve. We served with a mixture of veg (broccoli, squash, beans and asparagus) that was simply microwaved in a covered bowl with a splash of water for 3 minutes.

The Burger

It is very easy to buy burgers ready made and just slam them on the barbecue but in this age of meat scandals and unknown additives it can be far safer, cheaper and tastier to make your own, and indeed more satisfying. I've experimented in the past mixing the mince with all sorts of ingredients such as onion, chili, mushroom, rosemary, star anise, the list goes on. Then there are binding agents like breadcrumbs or eggs that people insist on using, or they whiz everything up in a food processor pulverizing everything into a mush. I find the best burgers are simply done by grabbing a handful of good mince (from a butcher), gently forming a patty, put a dimple in the middle, season and coat with oil and barbecue for a few minutes each side. Don't be tempted to move it, don't even touch it! It will come free of the grill when its charred enough and that side is done, then you can turn it over. Please never be tempted to squash the burger, if you do all that lovely juicy flavour will escape and you will end up with a dry, burnt bit of shoe leather.

I've also tried many different toppings and sauces, while they can make for some interesting and different combinations in my humble opinion the best burgers are the simple ones.

Burger Rules:

1. Never over work the mince, just form a simple patty and don't forget the dimple.

2. Always toast the inside of the buns on the grill first.
3. Make a burger sauce out of mayo, ketchup and mustard (English or American). Equal quantities of each is a good start but be careful if using English mustard as it is hotter. I like to add a few chopped capers too but that's up to you.
4. Wash and dry your salad.
5. Don't overcook the burger and don't fiddle with it!

Ingredients:

Mince beef from the butcher
Cheddar cheese, sliced
Iceberg lettuce, leaves torn off
Tomato, sliced
Red onion, sliced
Lemon juice
Mayonnaise
Tomato Ketchup
Mustard, English or American
Capers
Bread buns
Oil
Salt and pepper


Method:

1. Wash and dry the salad.
2. Put the sliced onion in a bowl with a bit of lemon juice and mix through. I find this add's a bit of tang and also softens the intensity of raw onion.
3. Make your burger sauce by mixing the sauces together with some chopped up capers.
4. Cut the buns in half and toast the inside on the hot bbq or grill. Be careful not to burn them! Set aside when done.
5. Grab a handful of mince and form your patty, give it the dimple, season and smear with oil then pop it on the grill, if you have a lid on your barby get it shut. I do mine for about 3 minutes then flip but it depends on the thickness and how done you like them. I have no problem eating them pink if the mince is from a good butcher, in fact I prefer them like that.
6. Flip the burger then after a minute cover with the sliced cheddar and shut that lid again.
7. After about 2 minutes remove from the grill and set aside and allow the burger to rest for a few minutes on a plate. It will release it juices then suck them back up again, and boy do you want those juices.
8. Plate up! I start with lettuce on the bottom, then the burger, topped with the tomato and onion with the sauce spread on the inside of the lid. Tuck in and let that juice dribble down your chin, cant be beat!

Stoofvlees - Beef, Beer and Chocolate Stew

We crossed the border into Belgium today and had an incredible day exploring the trenches at Sanctuary Wood. Ypres is very nice too and it gave me chance to buy two special ingredients for this delicious beef stew, Belgian beer and Belgian chocolate!

Stoofvlees, also known as La Carbonade La Flamande, is a traditional beef stew slow cooked and served with chips. Endives are very popular here so I sauteed some in garlic butter to add a little bit of veg. The interesting bit that caught my eye is that stoofvlees is topped with mustard coated bread that slowly melts into the stew to thicken it. I've got to give that a go and here it is!:

Ingredients:

750g Beef, any slow braising cut will do, chopped into bite size pieces
750ml Beer, it should be Belgian but any dark beer will do
2x Onions, diced
4x Garlic cloves, crushed or diced
2x Carrots, peeled and sliced
30g Belgian strong dark chocolate, grated or chopped into small pieces
1x Teaspoon of thyme
2x Bay leaves
1x Beef stock cube
2x Tablespoons of red wine vinegar
3x Tablespoons of brown sugar
1x French baguette
Dijon mustard
Potatoes
Endives
Butter


Method:

For the Stoofvlees:
1. Put the carrots, thyme, bay, red wine vinegar, brown sugar and chocolate in a stew pot.
2. Season the meat and brown off in batches in a frying pan, add to the stew pot when done.
3. Gentle fry the onions until translucent, add the 3 crushed garlic cloves for one minute then add to the stew.
4. Pour some of the beer into the frying and bring to the boil, crumble in the stock then add to the stew. Keep deglazing the pan until all of the beer is in the stew and give it a good mix.
5. Slice the baguette and slather one side of each with Dijon mustard. Place them mustard side down on top of the stew.
6. Cover the stew and place on the stove on the lowest heat setting possible and leave for a few hours. Occasional give it a stir to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom and allow the soggy bread to disintegrate and thicken the sauce.

For the Chips:
1. Peel and cut the potatoes into chunky chips all the same length and thickness.
2. Parboil the chips for 10 minutes or as I do microwave on high for 7 minutes.
3. Plunge into cold water to cool and rinse the starch.
4. Dry the chips on kitchen paper and if you have a freezer pop them in there for an hour. If not just leave them out covered with kitchen roll.
5. Pour a good glug of oil in a roasting tin and put in the oven on gas 7
6. When the oil is very hot gently place the chips in then baste them and pop back in the oven on the top shelf.
7. Regularly turn the chip so all 4 sides brown as much as you like. We like our chips crunchy.
8. When done turn the oven down and move to bottom shelf if you're not quite ready to serve.

For the Endives:
1. Using 1 crushed clove of garlic mix it well with a big dollop of butter.
2. Slice the endives into quarters length-ways.
3. Put the garlic butter in a frying pan and gently saute the endives for about 5 minutes.
4. Season and serve.

Pot Roast Silverside of Beef with Root Veg

When I was a kid Mum would regularly pot roast silverside of beef on a Sunday but I haven't done it in ages. This one was on offer and gave me the incentive to give it a try. Silverside is a tough cut of meat so you must cook it as low and as slow as possible, about 4 hours.

Ingredients:

Silverside of beef roasting joint
New potatoes
Carrots - peeled and thickly sliced
Parsnips - peeled and cut into thick chips
Broccoli
Onion - sliced
Dry cider - 1 bottle
Butter beans - 1 tin
Garlic - 1 clove, peeled
Beef stock cube
Rosemary - finely chopped, about a tablespoon
Mustard - 1 teaspoon, more if you like it spicy
Cornflour mixed with water
Butter


Method:

1. Season the beef on all sides with salt and pepper then sear on a high heat in a frying pan. Remove from the pan and place in casserole dish.
2. Sweat off the onions in the frying pan then add to the casserole dish.
3. Add the parsnips and carrots to the dish.
4. In the frying pan pour in the bottle of dry cider and bring to a boil.
5. Add the stock cube, rosemary and mustard to the cider then pour into the dish.
6. Place the dish on the middle shelf of the oven if possible on gas mark 2 for about 4 hours. Turn the beef every hour.
7. Towards the end of the cooking add the tin of butter beans to the dish.
8. Boil the new potatoes and clove of garlic until soft. Drain, season, add a knob of butter and lightly crush.
9. Remove the casserole dish from the oven. With a slotted spoon remove the veg and set aside, drain the gravy into a pan and bring back to a boil. Taste and season then thicken with cornflour
10. Bring the broccoli to a boil and simmer for about 3-4 minutes.
11. Slice the beef and plate it all up!