“Picture it now… a beef bourguignon in the slow cooker. Red wine in the glass. Barry White on the Alexa. A rose between your teeth. Okay maybe a bit too far,” says UK celebrity chef Poppy O’Toole.
“And if I’m being honest, there’s probably better food to get you in the mood than this hearty beef and moist carrot stew, because after a bowl or two of this you’ll be needing at least a three-hour nap. But whatever floats your boat.”
If you’re partial to mustard, she recommends adding a spoonful of Dijon to the mixture before cooking, and serve either with mashed potato or crusty bread.
Serves: 4
Ingredients
- 800g beef shin, diced
- 200g pancetta
- 250g shallots, finely diced
- 2 celery sticks, finely diced
- 300g chestnut mushrooms, halved
- 2 carrots, thickly sliced
- small handful of thyme, leaves picked
- 2 rosemary sprigs, leaves picked
- 2 bay leaves
- 250ml red wine (I like Malbec)
- 250ml beef stock
- 30g butter, cubed (optional)
- splash of olive oil
- 1 tablespoon cornflour, mixed with water
- salt and black pepper
- flat-leaf parsley leaves, to serve (optional)
Method
1. Season the beef generously with salt and let it come up to room temperature. Then tip it into the bowl of your slow cooker.
2. Add all the remaining ingredients, with the exception of the cornflour, along with one teaspoon of salt and lots of black pepper. Put the lid on and cook on high for five hours, until the beef is completely tender and shreds easily with a fork. Stir through the cornflour slurry, and scatter with a few flat-leaf parsley leaves to serve, if you like.
Poppy Cooks: The Actually Delicious Slow Cooker Cookbook by Poppy O’Toole is published by Bloomsbury Publishing. Available now.
What’s your favourite slow cooker tip? Why not share it in the comments section below?
Also read: Saucy Slow-Cooked Beef
