Name: Star anise, soy and beer-braised beef shin
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 180 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 1 x 1.6kg (3lb) piece boneless beef shin; 2 tablespoons olive oil; 3 large carrots (540g), chopped; 2 medium onions (300g), chopped; 2 trimmed celery stalks (200g), chopped coarsely; 1 clove garlic, crushed; 4 star anise; 1 cup (250ml) port or tawny fortified wine (see tips); 2 cups (500ml) beef stock; 1½ cups (375ml) stout beer; ¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce; 2 teaspoons cornflour

This rich slow-cooked casserole uses a tougher shin cut of beef with fragrant star-anise, salty soy sauce and beer to create a full-flavoured dish. Serve on top of creamy mashed potato drizzled with plenty of sauce.

Looking for more beef stews and casserole recipes?

Ingredients

1 x 1.6kg (3lb) piece boneless beef shin

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 large carrots (540g), chopped

2 medium onions (300g), chopped

2 trimmed celery stalks (200g), chopped coarsely

1 clove garlic, crushed

4 star anise

1 cup (250ml) port or tawny fortified wine (see tips)

2 cups (500ml) beef stock

1½ cups (375ml) stout beer

¼ cup (60ml) soy sauce

2 teaspoons cornflour

Method

1.Preheat oven to 160°C.

2.Trim excess fat from beef; cut beef into eight even chunks. Season. Heat oil in a 5.75 litre (23-cup) cast iron or other flameproof casserole dish (see tips) over medium-high heat. Cook beef, in batches, for 5 minutes or until browned all over; transfer each batch to a heatproof bowl.

3.Add carrot, onion, celery, garlic and star anise to dish; cook, stirring, for 4 minutes or until vegetables start to soften. Add port; bring to the boil. Boil for 3 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Return beef to dish, add stock; bring back to the boil, skimming to remove scum that rises to the surface. Add stout and soy sauce; bring to the boil. Cover dish with a tight-fitting lid (see tips).

4.Cook beef in oven, stirring halfway through cooking time, for 2½ hours or until very tender; add a little extra stock or water if needed.

5.Remove beef from dish; cover to keep warm. Strain sauce, discarding solids; return to dish. Bring sauce to the boil over high heat. Stir cornflour and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until smooth. Stir into sauce; bring to the boil. Boil sauce for 10 minutes or until reduced and thickened. Return beef to dish; stir until heated through. Season to taste.

6.Serve half the braised beef. Transfer remaining braised beef to an airtight container; cool, then store.

Tawny is the Australian name for fortified wine made in the style of port. We used a 23cm x 30cm oval cast iron casserole dish. If the lid of your casserole dish does not fit tightly, cover the dish with foil first, then the lid.

Serve with mashed potato, or steamed rice if you prefer, and green beans.

Refrigerate braised beef in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months; thaw in the fridge, then reheat in a microwave.
Note

Women's Weekly Food

Trusted by home cooks for 90 years, The Australian Women’s Weekly’s Test Kitchen and cookbooks hold a singular place in shaping home cooking within the Australian culinary landscape. Today, the AWW Test Kitchen in Sydney is a thriving hub for food content, connected to two bustling photographic studios where a talented team of Australia’s best recipe developers, art directors, editors and photographers create our world class food content. Our recipes are thoroughly tested and tasted and given the Test Kitchen tick of approval, guaranteeing you’ll get great results in your home kitchen.

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