Recipe

Beef and mushroom stew

The ideal comfort food.

Apr 18, 2021 2:00pm
  • 2 hrs 30 mins cooking
  • Serves 8
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This hearty beef and mushroom stew recipe, complete with bacon, parsnips and red wine, is the perfect meal for a cold day.
Looking for more beef stews and casseroles?

Ingredients

  • 1.7 kg piece beef bolar blade roast, excess fat trimmed
  • ¼ cup (40g) plain flour
  • ¼ cup (60ml) olive oil
  • 250 grams small swiss brown mushrooms, trimmed
  • 16 shallots, peeled, root ends intact
  • 2 trimmed celery stalks (200g), chopped coarsely
  • 6 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
  • ¾ cup (180ml) marsala
  • 3 cups (750ml) beef stock
  • 6 fresh thyme sprigs, plus extra to serve
  • 2 bunches baby carrots (800g), trimmed, peeled

Method

  • 1
    Cut beef into 4cm pieces. Place beef and flour in a large bowl; season. Toss beef to coat evenly in flour, shaking off excess.
  • 2
    Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 7 litre (28-cup) cast iron or other flameproof casserole dish (see tip) over high heat. Cook beef, in batches, stirring, for 6 minutes or until browned all over; transfer each batch to a large heatproof bowl.
  • 3
    Heat remaining oil in same dish; cook mushrooms, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add shallots and celery; cook, stirring, for 5 minutes or until golden. Add garlic and marsala; cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
  • 4
    Return beef and any juices to dish; add stock and thyme. Season; bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low; cook, covered with a tight-fitting lid, stirring occasionally, for 1½ hours.
  • 5
    Add carrots; cook, uncovered, for a further 45 minutes or until beef is very tender and carrots are cooked.
  • 6
    Serve half the beef stew topped with extra thyme. Transfer remaining beef stew to an airtight container; cool, then store.

Notes

We used a 25cm x 33cm oval cast iron casserole dish.Serve with lemon thyme soft polenta or, if you prefer mash side dishes, and chilli-garlic broccolini.Refrigerate beef stew in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge, then reheat in
a microwave.

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