Ingredients

1 kg   lean diced beef 1   large onion, halved and sliced 2   medium carrots, thickly sliced 2 tbsp   plain flour 3 cups   beef stock     a good shake each of Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce 4   sprigs fresh thyme 2   bay leaves (optional)

Method

1.   Preheat the oven to 180C. Season with salt and pepper, and add about 2 tablespoons of oil to beef, mix well. 2.   Heat a large frypan over a medium-high heat. Brown the beef in two or three batches. Remove each batch and place it in a casserole dish. 3.   Reduce heat in pan and add a little extra oil, add the vegetables cook for 1-2 minutes, stir occasionally. 4.   Sprinkle in the flour or other seasoning and stir until the vegetables are coated. Gradually pour in the stock or other liquid, stirring well. Add the remaining ingredients, stirring until the mixture boils. 5.   Pour over the beef in the casserole dish and stir to combine. Cover the casserole dish, place in oven, and cook until beef is very tender. Stir every 40 minutes or so, add water if needed to keep the ingredients just covered. 6.   Cooktop method: Place the browned beef and other ingredients in a heavy-based pot. Partially cover, keep the heat low. Simmer until the meat is very tender. Stir occasionally, add water if needed during the cooking time to keep ingredients well covered.

Tip:

Matching the beef cut to the cooking time. Don't rush the initial stage of browning the meat. Simmer the casserole gently and taste it to see if it's ready. For more casserole hints and tips, see our Cooking Tips section.

Serving Suggestion:

Serve with mashed potato and cabbage.