January is traditionally a time when people make their resolutions and promise that this year they will loose weight and get fit. However amidst all the New Years health kicks and diets, I find that I still have a desire for comfort food. Its January, its cold outside, it gets dark early and I want a warming stew, specifically some slow braised beef. This past weekend all I wanted to do was get out for a nice long walk and there is nothing like coming home after a walk in the countryside to a kitchen warm with the smell of food cooking. So with the weather in mind and my need to get out for a walk, I wanted something that was quick to prepare and took all afternoon to cook. In the freezer I found a joint of Brisket, probably my favourite joint to cook slow however stewing steak works just as well. These are two my favourite receipes for braised beef, please adapt the heat as you see fit, if you want it spicier then add some chilli heat.
slow braised paprika beef
Print recipe
Ingredients
- 1kg beef brisket joint (or same quantity stewing steak)
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- salt and black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions (quartered)
- 2 sticks celery (chopped)
- 2 large carrots (peeled and sliced)
- 1 red pepper (deseed and sliced into cubes)
- 4-6 cloves garlic (sliced)
- 1 bunch parsley (chopped)
- 1 glass red wine
- 250 ml tomato passata
- 1 tbsp worchester sauce
- 1 Knorr rich beef stock pot
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp sugar
Directions
| Roll the brisket joint in the smoked paprika, salt and pepper, taking care to cover all sides. I like to cut the joint in two to allow a better coverage of spice into the meat. Heat the oil in a heavy based casserole and brown the meat on all sides, remove from the pan and set aside. | |
| Put all the vegetables into the casserole and saute gently for 5 minutes, allowing the onions to soften a little but not colour. Pour the red wine over the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes to deglaze the pan and allow some of the alcohol to burn off. | |
| Add the remaining ingredients to the pan stir to combine. Return the beef to the pan, along with any beef juices. Cover with a lid and cook in a low oven 150C/140CFan for approximately 4 hours or until the beef pulls apart. If the dish looks like it is drying out, add a little water to loosen the gravy as required. | |
Note
I like serving this with either sour cream and some crusty bread to soak up the juices, or boiled potatoes and some green vegetables tossed in a little butter and black pepper. If you prefer a smoother gravy, remove the steak and blitz the gravy and stewed vegetables with a hand-blender to make a thick, smooth gravy.
smoked chilli beef
Ingredients
- 1kg beef brisket joint (or same quantity of stewing steak)
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 medium onions (chopped)
- 5-6 cloves garlic (crushed)
- 2 red chillies (deseeded and diced)
- 2 red peppers (deseeded and diced)
- 2 tins kidney beans in chilli sauce (do not drain, the chilli sauce should be added with the beans)
- 1 tbsp Stubbs hickory liquid smoke
- 250 ml tomato passata
- 1 Knorr beef stock pot
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 250 ml water
- 1 tsp salt
- black pepper
Directions
| Heat the olive oil over a medium heat in a heavy based casserole dish. Season the joint of meat with salt and pepper and brown on all sides. (Cut the joint in two to allow better browning of the meat). Remove from the pan and set aside. | |
| Place in the onions in the pan and saute gently for 5 mins, taking care not to burn. Add the garlic, chilli and red pepper and continue to saute for a further minute. | |
| Add the ground coriander and cumin to the vegetables and fry gently for 2 minutes to release the flavour. | |
| Return the beef to the casserole dish and add the remaining ingredients. Mix well, cover and place in a low oven at 150C/140CFan for 4-5 hours until the beef pulls apart. If the dish looks like it is drying out add a little water to loosen the gravy. | |
Note
This chilli works well served with tortilla chips, guacamole, tomato salsa and sour cream. If you prefer the beef brisket can be substituted with minced beef, however cook on the hob and only for an hour or so. You can alter the heat of the dish to your own palate by either adding or removing the red chillies.
If you can't find Stubbs liquid smoke, substitute 1 tbsp smoked paprika instead and add with the cumin and coriander.
As with many spiced dishes this meal benefits from sitting overnight to allow the flavours to develop, making it an ideal plan ahead meal.
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