Delicious, nutritious and easy to make,

Pop in the oven and leave it to bake

Issue 5 / Winter 2008 let It sImmer – beef casserole

Delicious, nutritious and easy to make,

Pop in the oven and leave it to bake

Put on a casserole, anybody can do it

the key to a great beef casserole is simple, choose the right beef cut and give it some time to slowly cook. the time

part may scare you off, don’t let it – the only part that takes time is the cooking. Preparing a casserole is quick and

easy, the oven, the cooktop or the slow cooker takes over from there.

It’s the less expensive cuts of meat that perform the best. chuck and boneless shin/Gravy beef will deliver

great flavour and tenderness. topside, round and blade are good choices if time is of the essence as they

cook more quickly.

turning an inexpensive cut of meat into a warming, nourishing and flavourful meal can be done in just a couple

of hours. Don’t rush the initial stage of browning the meat, it’s important to brown it in small batches to maximise

colour and flavour.

follow our tips and hints on the following pages to make your beef casseroles even better.

for more ideas visit www.themainmeal.com.au

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Beef casseroles – your options for cuts and timing

These temperatures and times can only be a guide, the different beef cuts and the type of dish they are cooked in will give variances of timing and doneness. The oven temperature generally starts at 180°C but if the casserole is cooking too quickly it should be lowered to about 160°C.

Beef cuts

(cut beef into 2 .5cm – 3cm cubes)

Approximate

cooking time

Guide to cooking

temperatures

Chuck or Boneless shin/

Gravy beef2 – 2 .5 hours 160°C – 180°C

Topside,

Round, Blade1 – 1.5 hours 160°C – 180°C

Beef casseroles -

what makes the difference

Matching the beef cut to the cooking time you have available is the most important consideration

consider the time you have and pick the appropriate beef cut – choose

from chuck, boneless shin/Gravy beef – these cuts take about 2 – 2½

hours to cook. these cuts offer the richest flavour and the most succulent

meat, but they do need long, slow cooking to make them tender.

beef topside, blade and round need only 1 – 1½ hours of slow simmering

to reach their best tenderness, keep in mind though, they can be tough or chewy to taste if not cooked long enough.

cut the meat into 2.5cm – 3cm cubes (or ask the butcher to do this), cut any smaller, the cubes of meat will shrink

as they cook. Keeping the cubes of meat at the same size will give you consistency in texture and flavour.

Don’t rush the initial stage of browning the meat

brown the meat in small batches (about 200g each batch). Keep the pan at medium-high heat as you cook. You don’t

want the beef to stew in its own juices – this happens if the pan is not hot enough or if you try to cook too much meat

at once – you’ll get tough dry meat that lacks flavour.

the pan needs to be hot enough for the meat to sizzle but not so hot that it scorches and burns portions of the meat

or results in a blackened pan. this will give a burnt taste to the casserole.

Simmer the casserole gently and taste it to see if it’s ready

the gentle heat of simmering is used to draw the full flavour out of foods. a slow simmer is when small amounts of tiny

bubbles rise to the surface of the cooking liquid.

to judge if your casserole is ready simply taste it – the sauce should be rich in flavour and slightly thickened.

Whatever the suggested cut of beef, the meat should be tender enough to flake or fall apart easily with a fork. If it’s

not done put it back in the oven or on the cooktop and simmer for another 15 minutes or so before tasting again.

* Important *

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The simplest yet best beef casserole Preparation time: 20 minutes cooking time: 1 – 1½ hours or 2 – 2½ hours serves: 4 – 6

Beef (see page 3 for options re: cuts and timing)

1kg beef

Vegetables1 large onion, halved and sliced 2 medium carrots, thickly sliced

Flavour Base2 tbsp plain flour 3 cups beef stock* a good shake each of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce* 4 – 5 sprigs fresh thyme 2 bay leaves (optional)

1. Prepare the beef: Preheat the oven to 180°c. cut beef into 2.5cm – 3cm cubes. season with salt and pepper, and add about 2 tablespoons of oil to beef, mix well.

Heat a large frypan over a medium-high heat. brown the beef in two or three batches. remove each batch and place it in a casserole dish.

2. Add the vegetables: reduce heat in pan and add a little extra oil, add the vegetables and cook for 1 – 2 minutes, stir occasionally.

3. Adding the flavour base: sprinkle in the flour or other seasoning and stir until the vegetables are coated. Gradually pour in the stock or other liquid, stirring well. add the remaining flavour base ingredients, stirring until the mixture boils. Pour over the beef in the casserole dish and stir to combine. cover the casserole dish, place in oven, and cook until the beef is very tender. stir every 40 minutes or so, add water if needed to keep the ingredients just covered.

Cooktop method: Place the browned beef and other ingredients in a heavy-based pot. Partially cover, keep the heat low. simmer until the meat is very tender. stir occasionally, add water if needed during the cooking time to keep ingredients well covered. serve with mashed potato and cabbage (see front cover).

*salt reduced

The Master Recipe

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Family style Mexican ‘beef ‘n beans’ casseroleBeef (see page 3 for options re: cuts and timing)

1kg beef

Vegetables2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 medium carrot, finely chopped

Flavour Base35g pkt taco seasoning mix

2½ cups beef stock

400g can diced tomatoes

Add (in the last 30 minutes cooking time)

400g can kidney beans, drained

Dad’s Sunday casserole… ‘beef with beer’Beef (see page 3 for options re: cuts and timing)

1kg beef

Vegetables6 whole baby onions, peeled

2 cloves garlic, peeled

Flavour Base2 tbsp plain flour 2½ cups beef stock a good shake each of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce 375g bottle of ale/beer or a 440g can of Guinness 2 tbsp brown sugar

Mild, creamy beef curry Beef (see page 3 for options re: cuts and timing)

1kg beef

Vegetables 1 large onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, crushed

Flavour Base2 tbsp mild curry powder

¼ cup apricot jam (or 2 tbsp brown sugar)

2½ cups beef stock

400ml can coconut milk

Mix and match ideas

By using the master recipe and simply

switching a couple of ingredients you can

create other delicious casseroles - try

these ideas and you’ll soon get a feel for it.

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Making casseroles easier –

here are the answers

Pick of the pans and casserole dishes! Which type should I use?

the ideal pan is heavy-based. a mid-sized enameled cast-iron saucepan is a good all-round choice, as it is great

for the cooktop as well as for use in the oven. Good sizes are the 1½, 2 and 3 litre saucepans. but like most things,

the best quality doesn’t come cheaply, look out for sales where they can often be bought at bargain prices.

a simple casserole dish will work just as well, just brown the meat in your frypan or wok and transfer it to the

casserole dish with the other ingredients. affordable and practical casserole dishes include ceramic stoneware (like corningWare®) glass (like Pyrex®) and glazed ceramic/pottery (like bendigo Pottery casserole pots).

Can I cook my casserole on the cooktop rather than in the oven?

a casserole is similar to a stew, it calls for the same cuts and technique but traditionally it’s cooked in a covered

casserole dish in the oven at a moderate 180°c to moderately low heat 160°c rather than on the cooktop.

but that’s not to say you can’t – you’ll just need to pay a little more attention to it. the mixture can sometimes stick

to the base of the pan and burn in a regular type saucepan, as it’s difficult to get the temperature of some cooktops

as low as needed. adding more liquid (stock or water) to the casserole mixture at the start of the cooking time and

adding a little more as it cooks can offset this. stir it often. adjust the heat as the dish cooks. a ‘simmer’ that’s closer

to a boil with result in tough meat.

Other casserole recipes tell me to dust the meat with flour – why?

casserole recipes may vary and yes some recipes call for the meat to be dusted with seasoned flour before browning.

this creates a browned crust on the meat and thickens the liquid as the casserole cooks. We found the easier option

is to add the flour when you sauté the onions and vegetables.

Casserole ahead...make it Sunday enjoy it Monday or Tuesday night!A casserole will keep for up to 2 to 3 days in the refrigerator. Casseroles should be refrigerated immediately after the steam from cooking has evaporated. Place the hot casserole into a shallow container in the fridge so it cools quickly. Do not leave it to cool completely on the bench.

To serve, bring it slowly to the boil over medium heat, reduce heat and simmer for about 3 minutes, or until meat and sauce are both thoroughly hot.

*Good tips here

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mild, creamy beef curry – see page 5

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The 30 - 40

minute option

While not strictly a true casserole, this

quick braise style of cooking will have a

warm hearty meal on the table in around

30 - 40 minutes.

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Tips for your 40 minute casserole

- Make sure the meat is trimmed of as much visible silver skin as possible.

- Brown the meat in small batches as you do a stir- fry. Ensure the pan is hot when you add the meat, it should sizzle when it goes in .

- Make sure the casserole simmers as it cooks – it must not be allowed to boil or the result will be tough, chewy meat.

A quick beef, tomato and mushroom braisePreparation time: 10 minutes cooking time: 30 – 40 minutes serves: 4 – 6

1kg round or topside steak 2 tbsp oil a little extra oil 1 onion, cut into thin wedges 2 cloves garlic, crushed 250g button mushrooms, halved 500g jar of bottled tomato pasta sauce 2 tbsp tomato paste 1 cup beef stock a pinch of sugar large pasta shells (cooked) to serve basil leaves

1. cut the steaks across the grain into strips (about 1.5cm wide). season with salt and pepper. add oil to the beef strips, mix well.

2. Heat a wok or frypan, ensure it is hot. stir-fry the beef in three batches, remove each batch and place it in a casserole dish. add a little oil to pan, add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes or until mushrooms are golden. add the tomato pasta sauce, tomato paste, stock and sugar, stir until the mixture boils. Pour over the beef in the casserole dish and stir to combine.

3. cover the casserole dish, place in oven, cook for 30 – 40 minutes or until the beef is tender. serve with the cooked pasta and sprinkle with basil leaves.

The quick one

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Take it easy...

let the slow cooker take over

low heat cooking means you can be out of the kitchen (or the house) from 4 up to 10 hours with these great

kitchen appliances.

Slow cooking – the timing's up to you!

the High and low settings on the slow cooker mean you have the option to cook the casserole in around 4 – 5 hours

or the longer option of 8 – 10 hours. little or no stirring is required when using the low setting, however, stirring the

casserole occasionally when using the High setting gives good flavour distribution.

2.5kg beef (see page 3 for options re: cuts) 3 – 4 tbsp oil a little extra oil 2 large onions, chopped 4 cloves garlic, crushed 1 red capsicum, thickly sliced 1 green capsicum, thickly sliced 4 tbsp plain flour 1 cup white wine 2½ cups beef stock 700ml bottle tomato pasta sauce ½ cup tomato paste 1 cup black olives a few sprigs each of oregano and rosemary pasta and green vegetables like broccolini to serve

1. cut beef into 2.5cm – 3cm cubes. season with salt and pepper. add oil to the beef, mix well. Heat a large frypan over a medium high heat. brown the beef in 4 batches. remove each batch and place it in the slow cooker.

2. reduce heat in pan and add a little oil, add the onion and garlic, cook for 1 minute. add the capsicums and cook for 1 minute. sprinkle in the flour and stir until the vegetables are coated with the flour and it begins to turn golden. Pour in the wine and stock, stirring until mixture boils. Pour over the beef in the slow cooker. add the combined pasta sauce and tomato paste. add the olives and herbs. stir to mix.

3. cover the slow cooker with its lid, cook on low setting for 8 – 10 hours or the High setting for 4 – 5 hours. serve with pasta and broccolini.

Italian beef stewNote – this recipe is designed for a large slow cooker, one of about a 5-litre capacity. It can be halved for smaller slow cookers. Preparation time: 20 minutes cooking time: 4 – 5 hours or 8 – 10 hours serves: 8 – 10

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Take the time to brown the meat

Browning the meat before cooking just as you do for regular casserole recipes intensifies the flavour of your slow cooked beef casserole.

Adapting cooking times from regular casserole recipesYour favourite traditional recipes can be easily cooked in a slow cooker. the most important rule is that you ensure

the food and/or liquid fills at least half to three quarters of the removable crockery bowl that sits in the slow cooker.

smaller slow cooker models will generally take a regular recipe designed for 4 to 6 people. cooking in the larger

slow cookers will mean that you may need to double the ingredients for the recipe. and that’s an advantage in itself

– you’ll have one meal to enjoy now and one for later!

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“Like to know the secret ingredient to a great

beef casserole? Time. Yep, time, give it the time it

needs…let it simmer - only a couple of hours slow

simmering will give you the richest flavour and

the most succulent, tender meat. It ’s as simple

as that really”

For more delicious recipes, cooking tips and to

contact us visit www.themainmeal.com.au

www.themainmeal.com.au