The simplest slow cooker beef casserole

This slow cooker beef casserole, is both comforting, and simple, perfect comfort food for the winter. Fall-apart tender beef in a rich thick gravy. My slow cooker beef stew is taken back to the basics, with just 6 ingredients, and will become a firm favourite you will make all winter long!

📝 Ingredients

• 2 tbs dripping (1)
• 2 onions (2)
• 500 g beef (3)
• 2 tbs flour
• 250 ml beef stock (4)
• 125 ml red wine (5)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1Prepare the ingredients - Peel and dice the onions, and cut the beef into evenly sized cubes about 1".
2. 2Fry the onions - Put half of the dripping into a large frying pan. Melt over a medium heat, add the onions for a few minutes until they soften and start to get some colour round the edges.
3. 3Fry the beef - Fry the cubes of beef in batches, adding more dripping as needed.Don’t be tempted to cram it all in at once. There should be space around each piece to ensure that it browns properly.Cook for several minutes over a medium heat turning from time to time. As each cube browns, transfer it to the slow cooker pot, replacing it with with a fresh piece. If you can have two pans on the go at once to speed things upThis will take a good 10-15 minutes. Don’t rush, as taking your time does make a difference to the flavour.
4. 4Add the flour - When frying off the last batch of beef, stir in the flour. This should absorb all the remaining fat. Cook for a few minutes and transfer to the slow cooker pot.
5. 5Deglaze the pan - Deglaze the frying pan with some of the stock, pouring a little in to loosen anything left in the pan. Add this to the casserole dish or slow cooker, along with the rest of the stock and wine.Then give it all a good stir. The beef should be almost entirely covered in liquid. If not, add a little water.
6. 6Cook - Set the slow cooker to high and cook until the casserole is simmering. Then turn down to low and cook for 5 to 8 hours, until the beef is tender.If the casserole needs thickening, prop the lid of the cooker open with a wooden spoon for the last half hour, so some of the liquid can evaporate.
7. 7--- To Oven Cook ---
8. 8Cook in the oven for two and a half hours at 150°C / 300°F / GM 2.