Family Beef Casserole

Serves 4

Ingredients:

600g Braising Steak
2 Tablespoons of Flour
1 Onion – sliced (or 1 Tablespoon of Dried Onions)
4 or 5 Carrots – cut into chunks
500 ml Beef Stock – I made it a little stronger than usual (I use a Knorr Beef Stockpot but you can use cubes if you prefer)
2 Tsp Cornflour
1 Bay Leaf
Salt & Black Pepper

See notes at the end of the recipe for more options / extra vegetables that can be added.

This casserole is lovely served with mashed potatoes and broccoli

Method:

1. Cut the braising steak into small pieces

2. Put the flour into a plastic food bag & add a few twists of ground salt & pepper

3. Place the beef into the bag, seal & give a good shake until all the beef is coated in flour

4. Remove the beef from the bag shaking off the excess flour & set aside (throw any leftover flour away & wash the plastic bag to use again)

5. Put a little oil in a frying pan

6. When the oil is hot put a few beef pieces into the pan & cook until browned, this will take a few minutes each side – remove from pan & put to one side

7. Repeat until all the slices of beef are browned.

8. Transfer the beef to a casserole dish with lid

9. Add the onions, carrots, stock, bay leaf  – stir well

10. Mix the cornflour with a little cold water to make a paste & add to the casserole

11. Mix well

12. Cover with a lid & cook in a preheated oven 160° fan for about 1.5 – 2 hours until tender & thickened – halfway through, if it is too thick add a little more water.

13. Season to taste

Notes:
To make this casserole go further you can add:

More vegetables of your choice (root vegetables can be added at the start of cooking but if you are adding soft vegetables such as green beans, cauliflower, broccoli or peas they should be added 30 minutes before the end of cooking time)

A Tin of Butter Beans

Chunks of potato

Dumplings – about 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time – if you like soft dumplings cook with lid on, if you like the dumplings a little crispy cook them without the lid.