Sunday Red Wine Beef Stew with Buttered Carrots

⏱ 195 min · Serves 6

Deeply savoury chunks of beef braised low and slow in red wine until they collapse at the touch of a spoon, with sweet carrots, soft onions and a glossy, rich gravy. Serve with mash or crusty bread and let the pot do the work.

Per serving: 720 kcal · 52.0g protein · 28.0g carbs · 41.0g fat

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg beef chuck, cut into 4cm chunks
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 150 g smoked bacon lardons
• 2 large onions, roughly chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 350 ml full-bodied red wine
• 600 ml beef stock
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 500 g carrots, cut into thick diagonal slices
• 300 g small potatoes, halved (optional)
• 25 g butter
• 2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Method

1. Pat the beef dry and toss with the flour, salt and pepper until evenly coated.
2. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a large casserole over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, 3-4 minutes per side, without crowding the pan. Set aside on a plate.
3. Add the bacon to the same pot and fry until golden, about 4 minutes. Add the remaining oil, then the onions, and cook 8 minutes until softened and lightly caramelised.
4. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Pour in the wine, scraping the base of the pot to lift all the browned bits. Simmer 4-5 minutes to reduce slightly.
6. Return the beef with any resting juices. Add the stock, bay leaves, thyme and brown sugar. Bring to a bare simmer, cover, and cook on the lowest heat (or in a 160C/140C fan oven) for 2 hours.
7. Add the carrots and potatoes, if using. Cover and cook a further 40-50 minutes, until the beef shreds easily and the vegetables are tender.
8. Fish out the bay and thyme stalks. If the gravy is thin, simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Stir in the butter for gloss and taste for salt and pepper.
9. Scatter with parsley and serve hot with mash, bread or buttered greens.