Beef casserole

davetaylor

Hey, bets wished for your meal. I imagine it's already underway, let u know how it goes!

MsDee

Hi again everoyne,:j

Just wanted to say hi and fill you in on last night - everything went very well (well apart from the casserole). I browned the beef, then added raw carrots, onions and pots into the pot and poured in the casserole mixture and cooked on 180c for 2 hours.

I kept checking on it and it was bubbling and it looked lovely - however it was DISGUSTING. I could have cried - the beef was so chewy and tough (despite buying casserole dicing beef!!!!) and the pots literally fell apart when you put your fork into them, they were like mush. I felt like crying but everyone was very gracious and thought it was rather amusing.

They ate all the bread, but OMG the dinner plates had bits of chewy meats and broken pots all over them:eek:

We all had a good laugh about it and I jsut gave them more booze and we all had double the amount of cake at the end of the evening - purely because we were all so bl00dy hungry!!!!!

I'm waiting to see if the parents ever want to return for another traumatic experience of beef casserole....:rotfl:

LJM

good luck with it i dont think you can go wrong with a good hearty casserole

zippychick

Awwww! MsDee! You poor thing. At least you made an impression! :rotfl:

I'll wait for some other genius to come along and let you know what you did wrong, as I am not the queen of casseroles

My stab in the dark guess would be you cooked it too high but we shall see what others say.:A

BitterAndTwisted

The very best way to make friends with mothers-in-law or any older lady is to ask very nicely for advice: it's very, very flattering so if you're asked back to have dinner with them ask your OH's mother to show you how she makes the same recipe. And praise it to the skies. In any case, I'm sure your OH's parents were delighted with the effort you went to even if the results weren't what you hoped for.

maman

MsDee wrote: »

Hi again everoyne,:j

Just wanted to say hi and fill you in on last night - everything went very well (well apart from the casserole). I browned the beef, then added raw carrots, onions and pots into the pot and poured in the casserole mixture and cooked on 180c for 2 hours.

I kept checking on it and it was bubbling and it looked lovely - however it was DISGUSTING. I could have cried - the beef was so chewy and tough (despite buying casserole dicing beef!!!!) and the pots literally fell apart when you put your fork into them, they were like mush. I felt like crying but everyone was very gracious and thought it was rather amusing.

They ate all the bread, but OMG the dinner plates had bits of chewy meats and broken pots all over them:eek:

We all had a good laugh about it and I jsut gave them more booze and we all had double the amount of cake at the end of the evening - purely because we were all so bl00dy hungry!!!!!

I'm waiting to see if the parents ever want to return for another traumatic experience of beef casserole....:rotfl:

Oh poor you.

I think you probably didn't leave it on for long enough ( I do mine for at least two and a half hours) and potatoes would have been better served separately or cooked separately and added just before serving. I use a foolproof beef in red wine recipe that is incredibly easy if you'd like it. I really recommend the 'get back on the horse' approach. Practise on OH and then invite them again for Mark 2!!

CupOfChai

Oh dear, at least you all saw the funny side.

I'd agree with the longer time and possibly lower temperature (not got the recipe to hand but I think mine goes in for 3 - 3 1/2 hours and less than 180C). Would also leave potatoes out and do separately.

It might possibly have been some quirk of your beef browning too, I have noticed this with someone else who shall remain nameless's casserole. I brown mine quickly on a very high heat so only the very outside is cooked, they however brown it more slowly almost seeming as if they are trying to cook the meat before putting it in the pot. Theirs comes out far chewier IMO.

Red wine in the recipe helps as the alcohol goes some way to breaking down the meat.

Don't be put off, all cooking is just practice!

prettypennies

Hi sorry your casserole didn't turn out. Alot depends on the qulaity of the beef you use, Plus slow and low is the way to go.

My sons absolutely love Beef Stew and Dumplings.

My recipe generally goes like this:

Brown the beef in butter and oil on the hob
Add shallots or onions an carrots cut chunky on the diagonal - fry for couple of mins.
Add thyme, rosemary and sprinkle over a few tablespoons of flour
and cook out for 2 mins.
Add a good sized glass of white wine or red wine or ale.
Add a spoonful of dijon mustard and a spoonful of marmite and some beef stock. (sometimes I had 100% chocolate and chilli for a richer stew)
Transfer to oven and cook for 2-3 hours at around 160 degrees.
Increase to 180 degrees and add the herb dumpings cooking for 20mins with lid on pot and 5 with lid off.

Nom Nom

meritaten

awwwww - sometimes hun even when you follow the recipe - the meat is tough - and thats not YOUR fault - its poor quality meat!
but, next time try this casserole - I havent known it NOT tenderise the meat.

stewing or braising beef
a large onion
couple of carrots - sliced or chopped
you can add - red peppers sliced, some celery sliced or chopped, mushrooms, or any veg you fancy really!
a bovril cube or oxo cube
salt and pepper.
a bottle of either Newcastle Brown or Guiness or similarn

I like to toss the meat in flour and then seal over a fairly high heat in a frying pan then when brown transfer to a casserole dish and put the oven on. about 4 or 5.
then soften the onion and carrots in frying pan and add them to the meat
add the other veg
then add the bottle of Newk or Guinness to the frying pan and bring to boil, and stir. (this gathers up all the lovely bits from the meat. then add that to the casserole.
if the liquid doesnt cover the meat and veg then add some water.
crumble in your bovril or oxo cube and a little pepper. put on the lid and put in oven.
it needs at least a couple of hours - but I like to make it the day before and reheat it! its fab then!

Stephen_Leak

MsDee wrote: »

I have a coleman's sachet ...

Oh, dear. I have no doubt that the failure was all due to this. Just read the list of ingredients on the sachet, and then for this recipe.

BEEF CASSEROLE

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

375g of beef
2 carrots
2 potatoes
½ an onion
1 tablespoon of oil
200g (½ a 400g tin) of plum tomatoes
125ml of water
125ml of beer
1 beef stock cube
1 teaspoon of dried parsley
Ground pepper to taste

METHOD

Chop the beef into 2 cm (1 inch) pieces. Peel the carrots and cut them into slices. Peel the potatoes and chop them into 2 cm (1 inch) pieces. Peel the onion, cut it in half, chop one half into tiny pieces and save the other half.

Put the oil in a frying pan on a moderate heat. Add the beef and onion, and fry for about 5 minutes until the meat is brown with no pink bits. Stir frequently to stop it sticking.

Open the tin of tomatoes. Put the juice into a bowl. Chop the tomatoes while they are still in the can (it’s easier than chasing them around the bowl). Put the chopped tomatoes into the bowl. Use half and save the other half.

Put the beef and onion, carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, water, beer, stock cube and parsley into a large ovenproof dish with a lid. Stir thoroughly. Put the lid on the dish.

Cook in a preheated oven at 150°C, 300°F, gas mark 2 for 2 hours. Check the liquid level from time to time and top it up if it starts to dry out.

Season with the pepper.

ADDITIONS & ALTERATIONS

For a really rich gravy, use 125ml more beer instead of the water. Use wine instead of beer. The long, slow cooking in the alcohol will tenderise even the cheapest cuts of meat.

Serve with a green vegetable, or add 100g of fresh, frozen or tinned peas 15 minutes before the end of cooking.

TIPS

Plum tomatoes can be used either whole or chopped. It is difficult to stick chopped tomatoes back together again if you need to use them whole.