Sunday Braised Beef Stew with Red Wine and Root Veg

⏱ 195 min · Serves 6

Deeply savoury chunks of beef slow-braised until they collapse at the touch of a spoon, with sweet carrots, parsnips and a glossy red wine gravy. It looks after itself in the oven while you get on with your day \u2014 all it asks for is bread and butter at the end.

Per serving: 565 kcal · 45.0g protein · 34.0g carbs · 26.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg beef chuck or shin, cut into 4cm chunks
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 2 onions, roughly chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 300 ml full-bodied red wine
• 700 ml beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 3 carrots, cut into thick chunks
• 2 parsnips, cut into thick chunks
• 300 g baby potatoes, halved
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp caster sugar
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Method

1. Heat the oven to 160C/140C fan/325F. Pat the beef dry, then toss with the flour, salt and pepper until lightly coated.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches, 3-4 minutes per side, until well crusted. Set aside on a plate. Don't crowd the pan.
3. Add the last tbsp oil, turn the heat down and cook the onions for 6-8 minutes until softened and golden at the edges. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute more.
4. Pour in the wine, scraping the base of the pan clean, and let it bubble hard for 3 minutes to cook off the raw edge.
5. Return the beef and any juices, add the stock, bay, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and sugar. Bring to a simmer, cover and slide into the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes.
6. Stir in the carrots, parsnips and potatoes, cover and return to the oven for a further 45-60 minutes, until the beef shreds easily and the veg is tender.
7. If the gravy is thinner than you'd like, set the pot on the hob and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Fish out the bay and thyme stalks, taste and season generously.
8. Scatter with parsley and serve with crusty bread or buttery mash.