The Most Comforting Beef Casserole Recipe!

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An all time GREAT of British comfort food, this hearty and wholesome beef casserole will soothe your soul! Tender morsels of beef in a rich and flavourful sauce, slow cooked to heart warming perfection. Keep reading to learn how to make this classic dish, the easy peasy way…

Beef casserole in a large dish with a wooden spoon.

Why you’ll love this recipe

Just like my crispy roast potatoes, this beef casserole recipe comes straight from my Dad’s kitchen. I remember eating countless casseroles and stews growing up, so it made sense to go straight to the expert when creating this dish!

My Dad’s slow cook beef casserole recipe is a simple meal that turns cheap cuts of beef into tender, melt in the mouth delights. And the sauce is steeped with a deep rich beef flavour, that feels like a comforting hug!

Ingredients

Confused about what ingredients to buy? Not sure about a substitution? Here’s everything you might need to know…

Juniper Berries – Entirely optional, but these do add a great deal of underlying flavour. These are easiest to crush in a pestle and mortar.
Beef – I used beef shin, but shoulder is great too. You could even use venison instead if you like.
Oil – It’s down to you which you use really. I like to use sunflower oil, but olive oil or vegetable oil would also work well.
Garlic – I cheat and use lazy minced garlic for speed.
Bacon – Dad recommends thick cut smoked back bacon for the best flavour.
Mushrooms – Use halved chestnut mushrooms. Don’t worry – they will dramatically shrink in size throughout cooking.
Carrots – My carrots were about 25cm long and 4cm thick. You don’t want them too thin, or they will become mushy.
Port – Dad recommends using port for extra depth of flavour. You could use a dry red wine instead if you prefer.
Redcurrant Jelly – This adds a sharp acidity that contributes to the overall depth of flavour. Don’t skip it if you can help it.

A large lidded pot with beef casserole inside.

Emma’s top tips

Here are tips you’ll find helpful when making this recipe.

Trim any really large pieces of fat off the beef, but don’t cut it all off! You want some for flavour. Don’t worry, it won’t be chewy. Most of it should render down throughout cooking.
Prefer a slightly sweeter sauce? Dad says to add a little brown sugar at the same time as the water.
Switch the carrots out for parsnips, for a more festive option.
You can add a few bay leaves if you like. Just remember to take them out before you serve.
When crumbling the beef stock cubes, crumble it BEFORE unwrapping. (Trust me, it’s game changing!)
I used a lidded cast iron dish to cook my casserole, as it retains the heat well and cooks evenly.
If you prefer a very saucy casserole, you may wish to add a little more water than the recipe states.

Someone forking a bowl of beef casserole and boiled potatoes.

Timings

Have limited time? Struggle with recipe timings? Or juggling around other things? Here’s some time managing info to make your life easier!

Preparing your veggies will take roughly 5-10 mins.
Browning the beef will take you around 15-20 mins, as you need to do it in batches to not overcrowd the pan.
It should take about 10 minutes to fry off the veggies and add the rest of the ingredients.
Allow 90-120 mins to slow cook the casserole in the oven.

Someone spooning beef casserole out of a large pot.

Easy Beef Casserole – Step by Step Picture Recipe

(For a printer friendly version, see the recipe card at the end of this post)

Ingredients

Here is what you will need to Serve 4-5.

Please note, this recipe includes both UK metric and US Cup measurements.

40g (1/3 Cup) Cornflour
1 tsp Juniper Berries, crushed (optional)
Salt and Pepper
950g (2lb) Diced Beef
3-4 tbsp Oil
1 x Onion, finely diced
4 x Rashers of Bacon, chopped
2 x Garlic Cloves, minced
250g (1/2 lb) Chestnut Mushrooms, halved
2 x Large Carrots, peeled and sliced
4 tbsp Port
500ml (2 Cups) Water
2 x Beef Stock Cubes, crumbled
2 tbsp Redcurrant Jelly

Essential equipment

Mixing Bowl
Large Baking Tray
Frying Pan
Spatula
Large Lidded Casserole Dish

Instructions

Mix the cornflour (40g | 1/3 Cup), crushed juniper berries (1 tsp), salt and pepper (to taste) in a mixing bowl.

Then spread the diced beef (950g | 2lb) out on a large baking tray. Sprinkle over the cornflour mixture and toss well to coat.

Seasoned cornflour in a bowl with a spoon.

Next, heat 1-2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Then brown the floured beef in batches. Don’t worry if there are still a few pink bits. (You may need to add more oil for each batch.)

Preheat your oven to 160ºC/Fan 150ºC/320ºF. Then heat 1 tbsp of oil in the casserole dish over a low/medium heat. Add the diced onion (x 1) and fry for a few minutes, until softened but not browned.

Softened onion in a large casserole dish on the stove top.

Next, add the bacon (4 x rashers, chopped) and fry for 2-3 minutes.

Bacon and softened onion in a casserole dish on the stove top.

Then add the garlic (2 x cloves, minced), mushrooms (250g | 1/2 lb), and carrots (2 x large, peeled and sliced). Cook for a further 1-2 minutes.

Beef casserole vegetable base ingredients cooking in a large casserole dish.

Now add the browned beef to the casserole dish, along with the port (4 tbsp), water (500ml | 2 Cups), beef stock cubes (2 x crumbled), and redcurrant jelly (2 tbsp). At this point, you can season with a little more salt and pepper if you want to.

Beef casserole ingredients in a large casserole dish on the stove top.

Give everything a thorough stir, and bring it to the boil.

Beef casserole coming to the boil in a large dish on the stove top.

Put on the lid, and place the casserole dish into your preheated oven for 90-120 minutes.

Check your casserole at the 90 minute mark. At this point, you can check to see if the beef is cooked to your liking. You can also add a little more water if you want to thin out the sauce.

Oven cooked beef casserole in a large pot.

How to store beef casserole

If you aren’t eating your beef casserole straight away, you can cool it then store in the fridge. Consume within 2 days for best results.

Alternatively, you can freeze in individual portion sizes for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly in the fridge before reheating, and use within 24 hours once defrosted.

Serving suggestion

Serve your beef casserole with boiled or air fried roast potatoes. Crushed potatoes would also work well.

A bowl of beef casserole and boiled potatoes, with bowls of ingredients to the side.

FAQs

Is beef casserole healthy?

Beef casserole can be healthy depending what you add to it, and assuming you enjoy it in moderation (as is the case with anything). It has a good amount of protein and lots of veggies, which are both key parts of a healthy balanced diet.

Is beef casserole the same as beef stew?

No. A casserole is oven baked, whereas a stew is made on the stovetop.

Cooked beef casserole in a large pot with a big metal serving spoon in it.

Is beef casserole British?

Yes. Beef casserole is a British dish that has been enjoyed here for centuries.

Can beef casserole be frozen?

A Yes! It absolutely can be frozen. See here for instructions.

A white bowl filled with boiled potatoes and beef casserole, with a linen napkin to the side.

Do you cook the beef before adding it to a casserole?

You brown the beef without cooking it all the way through. In essence, you part cook it before adding to a casserole.

What’s the best cut of beef for a casserole?

A The cheaper, tougher cuts of meat tend to work very well in casseroles. Shin and shoulder (also called chuck and blade) work well. So do braising and stewing steak.

Beef casserole in a large pot, surrounded by dishes filled with ingredients.

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