This is the sort of deeply comforting beef stew I want when the weather turns cold, but I do not want to spend Sunday standing at the cooker. Prepared bags of soup and stewing vegetables do all the chopping for you; everything goes into the slow cooker and, a few hours later, the beef is tender and the tomato sauce is rich and warming.
Tinned tomato soup is the useful shortcut here. It creates a smooth, slightly sweet base without a long list of ingredients, while English mustard and a whole Scotch bonnet give it far more character than the effort suggests. The generous quantity makes this excellent for feeding a table, taking to work the following day or portioning for the freezer.
Serves
6–8
Preparation
10 minutes
Slow cooking
About 5 hours on high
Ingredients
For the stew
- 700g stewing beef, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 bag prepared soup vegetables
- 1 bag prepared stewing vegetables, giving approximately 750g–1kg vegetables in total
- 2 × 400g tins tomato soup
- 1 reduced-salt beef stock cube, crumbled directly into the pot
- 1 additional beef stock cube, only if needed after tasting
- 2 tbsp English mustard
- 1 whole Scotch bonnet chilli, completely intact
- Freshly ground black pepper
To serve
- Extra-mature Cheddar, grated (optional)
- Warm garlic baguette or crusty bread
- Chopped parsley, if available
Method
- Check the capacity. This quantity fills a 3.5-litre slow cooker generously. If yours is smaller, reduce the ingredients rather than filling it beyond the manufacturer’s recommended level.
- Fill the slow cooker. Add the beef and all the prepared vegetables. Pour in both tins of tomato soup, crumble over one reduced-salt stock cube and add the English mustard and a generous grinding of black pepper.
- Add the chilli carefully. Check that the Scotch bonnet is unbroken, then nestle it whole into the sauce. Do not cut or pierce it unless you deliberately want a much hotter stew.
- Cook. Stir everything except the whole chilli together, cover and cook on high for about 5 hours, until the beef is tender and the vegetables are soft. Slow cookers vary, so begin checking after 4½ hours.
- Adjust the sauce. Carefully lift out the Scotch bonnet. Taste before adding the second crumbled stock cube; the soup and first cube may already provide enough seasoning. If the stew is thicker than you like, loosen it with a small splash of hot water.
- Serve. Spoon into warm bowls and finish with grated Cheddar if you fancy the extra richness. Serve with garlic baguette or crusty bread for dunking.
No slow cooker?
Make it on the hob.
Combine the ingredients in a large, heavy-based casserole with an additional 250ml hot water. Bring gently to a simmer, cover and cook over a very low heat for 2–2½ hours, stirring occasionally and adding a little more water if necessary. Remove the whole chilli and check that the beef is tender before serving.
Storing and freezing
Cool leftovers promptly, then refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Reheat until piping hot throughout. The stew can also be frozen in individual portions for up to 3 months; defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
CATHERINE’S TIP
A whole, undamaged Scotch bonnet perfumes the stew without releasing all of its fierce heat. If your household wants it hotter, remove the cooked chilli first and chop a little into individual bowls rather than making the entire pot fiery. Wear gloves when handling it, and never touch your eyes afterwards.
For another rich beef dinner with very little hands-on work, try my slow-cooker Mongolian beef with coconut rice.
Allergy note: Check the labels on the tomato soup, stock cubes, mustard, cheese and bread. Depending on the brands used, this recipe may contain celery, mustard, milk, wheat or gluten.
