Italian Style Beef Casserole

Italian Style Beef Casserole

Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 2 - 2 ½ hours
Serves: 4 - 6

Ingredients
1kg chuck or boneless shin/gravy beef, diced into 2.5 - 3cm cubes
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 red capsicum, chopped
1 green capsicum, chopped
2 tbsp plain flour
2 cups beef stock
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp dried oregano
400g can diced tomatoes
400g can cannellini beans, drained

Method
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Season the beef with salt and pepper, add about 2 tablespoons of oil and mix well. Heat a large frypan over a medium-high heat. Brown the beef in 2 or 3 batches. Remove each batch and place in a casserole dish.
Reduce heat in pan and add a little oil. Add the onion, garlic and capsicums, cook for 1 - 2 minutes and stir occasionally.
Sprinkle in the flour and stir until the vegetables are coated. Gradually pour in the stock, stirring well. Add the tomato paste and oregano. Pour over the beef in the casserole dish and stir to combine. Cover the casserole dish, place in the oven and cook until the beef is very tender. In the last 30 minutes of cooking time, add the tomatoes and cannellini beans.

Warm Up this Winter with Succulent Beef
Comforting, full of flavour and simple to prepare, slow cooked beef is the perfect way to warm up a cold winter's day!

Whether you prefer a hearty beef bourguignon or a spicy beef curry, casseroling is a foolproof technique that will lead you to endless winter warming possibilities.

Match the beef cut to the cooking time you have available. Chuck and boneless shin/gravy beef offer the richest flavour and the most succulent meat. However, topside, round and blade are great choices for quicker week night meals as they cook more quickly.
Beef cuts (2.5-3cm cubes or thickness): Chuck, boneless shin/ gravy beef,osso bucco pieces
Approximate cooking time: 2-2 ½ hours
Guide to cooking temperature: 160-180C

Beef cuts (2.5-3cm cubes or thickness): Topside, round, blade
Approximate cooking time: 1-1 ½ hours
Guide to cooking temperature: 160-180C

Brown the beef - Don't rush the initial stage of browning the beef. Brown it in 2 or 3 batches and keep the pan at a medium-high heat so the beef doesn't stew in its own juices.

Let your dish simmer gently as it gives a richer flavoured dish. Controlling the heat is important as too low a heat and the dish will be flavourless, too high a heat and the mixture will boil resulting in less tender meat.