Beef Stew

Made it for the first time, the meat turned out a little dry but the sauce was really good!

I could have done a few more things, but the recipe was solely followed in Jamie Oliver's book.

I could have added capsicum, mushrooms to taste and baked it at a lower temperature or put it in a slow cooker to save electricity. But it's all edible!


Here are the steps. Courtesy from Jamie Oliver's beef stew recipe


Ingredients

• 1 kg lean stewing beef cut to cubes
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• Olive oil
• 1 big onion
• 5 garlic cloves
• 2 sticks of celery (can use more next time)
• 4 carrots
• thyme
• 4 ripe tomatoes
• 200ml red wine
• 500ml beef stock
• 3 bay leaves
• Worcestershire Sauce

to add next time

• mushrooms
• capsicum

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/gas 3. (I'll put it down to 120-150degC next time)
2. Dice the beef into 1cm pieces, then toss in a bowl with the flour, making sure the meat chunks are totally covered. Set aside. 
3. Add a splash of oil to a large casserole pan and place it over a medium heat. When it’s hot, add the beef and cook for 5 minutes, or until the meat is browned all over. Transfer to a plate and leave to one side. 
4. While the beef cooks, peel and finely chop the garlic, then cut the onions. Trim and roughly chop the celery, then peel, trim and chop the carrots into 2cm rounds. 
5. Splash a little more oil into the pan, then add the veg. Strip the leaves from the thyme and add to the pan, then cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened. 
6. Return the beef to the pan, then stir through the tomatoes and wine. Once the liquid has been absorbed (I think I cooked it too long here), add the stock, bay leaves and a splash of Worcestershire sauce. 
7. Season with sea salt and black pepper, then transfer the stew to the oven to cook for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily with forks.