This beef stew recipe is a real crowd-pleaser and is perfect for batch-cooking and freezing. It’s also a great way to use up any leftover red wine you might have lying around.
Express details easy and cheap beef stew recipe
There are certain dishes that just scream comfort, and this beef stew is one of them. I whip it up every autumn – it’s my little tradition when the chill starts to set in.
The recipe is super simple to make, and whenever I serve it to mates or family, it’s always a hit.
Beef stew is hearty grub at its finest and it’s budget-friendly and quick to prep – it only takes about 10 minutes. The secret to this stew is a good splash of cheap red wine which lends a delicious depth to the sauce.
I usually dish it up over creamy mash, but it can also be paired with dumplings, turned into a pie or batch-cooked and frozen.
Beef stew recipe
Ingredients
Serves four
- 800g diced beef
- Three carrots, peeled and chopped
- Two to Three celery sticks, chopped
- One onion, diced
- 250g baby button mushrooms
- 2 tbsp cornflour
- 300ml cheap red wine
- 600–800ml beef stock
- One to two bay leaves
- A few sprigs of thyme
- Salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- A knob of butter (for the mushrooms)
Method
Pat the beef dry with kitchen roll, then season generously with salt and pepper and set aside.
Chop your onions, carrots, and celery. Set aside for later.
Heat a bit of oil in a heavy pan and brown the beef in batches until golden. Remove and set aside – this step builds the base of your flavour.
Add another splash of oil and add the onions, softening for a couple of minutes. Add in the celery and onions and cook slowly for 10 minutes until soft.
Return the browned beef to the pan. Pour in a generous splash of red wine and let it bubble to lift all the caramelised bits from the bottom of the pan.
Add the beef stock, thyme, and bay leaves. Stir well, bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat and cover.
Let it gently bubble away for one and a half to two hours, giving it a stir now and then, until the beef is tender and falling apart.
Whilst the stew is simmering away, get those mushrooms nice and brown in butter until they’re golden.
If you’re using whole shallots, give them a quick blanch for one to two minutes in boiling water, then pop them into a bowl of cold water to halt the cooking process. Peel and trim them – this will make them sweet and silky in the stew.
Add both the mushrooms and shallots into the stew during the last 20-30 minutes.
If your stew needs thickening up, mix the cornflour with a bit of water and stir it into the pot.
Give it a taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. Sprinkle some fresh parsley on top and tuck in!
