COMFORT FOOD

Slow-Cooked Cheesy Beef and Potato Casserole

Tender beef and potatoes slow-cooked in a rich sauce, finished with golden cheese.

EASY

2 HOURS 35 MINS

SERVES 4

ABOUT THE RECIPE

A cheesy beef and potato casserole that knows exactly what it is doing: tender chuck steak, potatoes soaking up the red wine sauce, and a hot oven finish for the bubbling golden bits. Proper cold-weather food, without feeling old-fashioned.

THE RECIPE

Ingredients

500 g chuck steak, cut into 2 cm chunks

1 tbsp plain flour

½ tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp unsalted butter

½ onion, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 carrot, diced

2 sticks celery, diced

300 g waxy potatoes, cut into 2 cm chunks

1 tbsp tomato paste

½ cup red wine

1 tbsp port or muscat

1¼ cups beef stock

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp red wine vinegar

½ tsp brown sugar

½ tsp mustard powder

1 bay leaf

1 tsp dried thyme

Salt and black pepper

To Finish

1 tbsp cream

¾ cup grated tasty cheese

¼ cup finely grated parmesan

1 tsp smoked paprika

Method

1.

Preheat your oven to 160°C fan-forced.

2.

Toss the beef in the flour, shaking off any excess so it is lightly coated rather than thickly dredged.

3.

Heat a heavy-based casserole dish over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and butter.

4.

Brown the beef in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, until deeply coloured. Don’t rush this step, the colour equals flavour. Remove and set aside.

5.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until softened and translucent, without browning. Stir in the garlic and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.

6.

Add the carrot and celery and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just to take the raw edge off.

7.

Return the beef to the dish along with any resting juices. Stir to combine.

8.

Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring well so everything is coated and slightly caramelised.

9.

Pour in the red wine and port or muscat. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes, scraping up all the flavoursome bits from the base of the dish.

10.

Now stir in the potatoes, beef stock, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, red wine vinegar, brown sugar, mustard powder, bay leaf and thyme. The liquid should just cover everything. Season generously with salt and pepper.

11.

Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover with a lid and transfer to the oven.

12.

Cook for 2 to 2½ hours, until the beef is meltingly tender and the potatoes are perfectly soft but still holding their shape.

13.

Remove from the oven and discard the bay leaf. Stir through the cream for a silky finish. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

14.

Scatter the tasty cheese and parmesan evenly over the top. Finish with smoked paprika.

15.

Return to the oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes until golden, bubbling and gloriously irresistible.

16.

Let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes before serving. The sauce will thicken slightly as it rests.

SAMANTHA'S NOTES

Use chuck steak

Brown in batches

Choose waxy potatoes

Give the beef space in the pan so it caramelises instead of steaming. That deep golden colour is what builds the flavour before everything slow-cooks.

Use waxy potatoes like Dutch Cream or Kipfler so they hold their shape in the sauce. Floury potatoes can collapse and make the casserole too thick.

Chuck steak is the right cut here because the marbling melts down during the long cook. Leaner beef will not give you the same tender meat or rich sauce.

KEEP COOKING