Beefy Hot-Pot

Prep Time: 0:30
Cook Time: 2:30
Serves: 4

Ingredients / Shopping List

500g slice of braising steak (or cubed stewing steak)

500g potatoes

300g carrots or courgettes

300g onions

30g white flour

1 beef stock cube

Bay leaf

2 tsp grainy mustard

300ml water

Seasoning: salt and black pepper

2 tblsp olive oil to brush over the pototoes

Prep to Cook: Chopping board for meat, chopping board for vegetables, potato peeler, sharp knife, measuring jug, large spoon, teaspoon, mixing bowl, deep sided casserole dish

Prep: 1: Prep to cook: Preheat the oven 200ºC or Gas Mark 6 (turn down after 1 hour cooking to 190C or Gas Mark 5. 
 

2. Prep the veg:

Peel the onions, cut into halves then slice each half to about 6 slices, place in a large mixing bowl. Peel the carrots and remove stalk end.  Slice the carrots into chunks about 1 cm thick and place with onions in mixing bowl. Use the potato peeler to remove some of the green skin from the courgettes, remove the ends, slice in thick slices. Peel the potatoes and then cut each into half.  Using a sharp knife slice the potatoes really thinly and leave on the chopping board until they are needed.

3. Prep the meat:

If the meat is cubed and in a bag – add the flour into the bag and mix into the meat.  If the meat is a large slice, cut off any fatty portions and then sprinkle it with the flour

4. Prep the gravy:

Boil the kettle and then pour 300ml water over a stock cube in the measuring jug.  Add the 2 tsp of grainy mustard and some salt and black pepper and stir well.  Drop in the bay leaf.

5. Prep the hot-pot:

Tip half the onion and carrot mixture into the deep sided hot-pot dish.  Place the meat cubes or whole slice of beef over the onion, carrot or courgettes.  Cover the meat with the remaining onion and vegetables. Flatten the vegetables and then layer the sliced potatoes over the onions.  The potato layer will come to the top of the cooking dish put when cooked will reduce down.  Now pour the stock mixture over the hot-pot. Finally brush the potato top layer with olive oil. Place in the oven with a tight fitting lid or foil.

Cook for 2 to 2 hours 30 minutes turn down oven after 1 hour to 190ºC or Gas Mark 5
 

Check it out!

Beefy hot-pot is a warming and comforting substantial meal.  Make it when you want to get the meal made and leave it to cook for later. It is a good value easy option.  This is a one-pot meal and therefore the prep time is quite lengthy but once the hot-pot dish is filled you know the meal is done and you can sit back and relax whilst it cooks itself.

Recipe Science

Cooks Know How: You will feel you have meal production sorted when you make this hot-pot.  You will have purchased good down to earth ingredients that should have been affordable. You will have used your knife skills to prepare all the vegetables and potatoes and handled your meat without too much problem.  The layering of the hot-pot is essentially creating the meal in advance and as you pour over the savoury juices you will feel justified in making this recipe decision.