Beef, Bacon & Beer Casserole (GF & SC - Slow Cooker)

1 onion, peeled and diced
2 large carrots, diced
6 medium red skinned potatoes, diced
10 slices chopped pancetta or 6 slices bacon, diced (a quick fry would be great if you can be bothered)
600g-1kg diced beef (i used lean but a stewing type would be even better)
2 tspns beef or vegie stock concentrate or 2 stock cubes (gluten free)
2-3 tabs gluten free worcestershire sauce (we use Spring Gully)
approx 3 tabs honey
1 bottle of gluten free beer (we used O'Brien's Premium Lager *)
2 tabs cornflour (i added this later but you could also toss the beef cubes in it before cooking)
optional:
2 handfuls green beans, cut into 1" pieces
thyme and / or garlic


I used a 3L slow cooker, but if you use more meat you will need a bigger cooker

Place ingredients into the bowl in the order listed above.

I tend to use Auto which cooks on high for 4 hours then switches to low and cook for the rest of the day

* Geoff said it was an OK beer, he wouldn't choose to drink it but if had to be GF he would be happy to drink it.

Rough & Ready - Beef in Red Wine (GF, SC)

tonight's dinner - yum!

i used to actually have a recipe i used but it disappeared long ago and now i just chuck stuff in hehe

tonight's version went something like this:

about 1-2kg chuck steak / gravy beef etc, 2cm dice
2(?) tabs gluten free flour
1 tspn GF beef stock (we use massel)
little black pepper

toss the meat in the flour / stock / pepper mix and place in slow cooker

1 onion, finely chopped
4-6 rashers / shortcuts bacon, chopped
4-5 carrots, chopped
3-4 zucchinis, finely chopped, optional

I actually chopped all mine in the thermomix on speed 4 (i just have discovered speed 4 for chopping veg & am LOVING it lol). place on top of meat

thyme, around 1-2 tspns
garlic, chopped, optional (i think i missed this today lol)
red wine, around 1/2-3/4 cup (i just use a cheap one)

sprinkle thyme & garlic over, pour wine over

cook on auto for 6-8 hours (auto is high for 2-3 hours then low, and the cooker i used is a 3L one). i stir occasionally toward the end, once it starts smelling good.

we have ours with mash and steamed green beans.

Hungarian Potato Casserole

thanks to Sharon, an online friend :) (hi sharon!)

you can also use chorizo or i'm guessing most other kinds of salami like sausage

1kg potatoes chopped into bite size chucks...not too small or they go too smooshy
I tub tomato paste
4 rashers of bacon, chopped
I big onion chopped
2 Tbsp sweet paprika
3-4 cups water
250g Polish sausage quartered and sliced...how thick is up to you but I cut mine about 3mm?

I do it in my cast iron pot on the stove, but Mum used the electric frypan or a big saucepan.

Fry onion and bacon, add chopped potatoes and polish sausage.
Mix 3 cups water with paprika and tomato paste in a jug, pour into pan.
Bring it to the boil, turn down low and cover. you might need to add extra water...just check.
It's cooked when the potatoes are soft and kind of smooshy.

Beef and Guiness Pie

just clearing out my crazy collection of recipe links and will be putting some recipes in here.
i'm pretty sure i made this last winter and it was delicious, taken from here. you can easily do the filling in the slow cooker (which i'm sure is what i did)

INGREDIENTS:
6 tbsp vegetable or sunflower oil
2 onions, halved and sliced
225g medium size chestnut or button mushrooms, cut into quarters
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1kg braising steak/chuck steak/stewing steak/casserole steak ( whatever you want to call it lol ), trimmed of fat and cut into 2.5cm chunks
5 tbsp plain flour seasoned with salt and freshly ground black pepper
500ml Guinness
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
salt and freshly ground black pepper
500g puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten

( 6 strips of bacon is optional ---very tasty though , also optional is a third cup of sultanas )

PREPARATION:
1. Heat 2 tbsp of oil in a large, oven-proof casserole dish and gently fry the onion until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for a further 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are soft. Remove the vegetables from the pan and place in a large bowl.

2. Place the seasoned flour in a bowl and toss the meat in it, a handful at a time. Heat a little more oil in the pan and fry the flour-coated chunks of meat over a medium-high heat until browned on all sides. Do this in batches, coating each new batch of meat in the flour and adding more oil to the pan when needed. Transfer the browned meat to the onion and mushroom bowl while you fry the rest.

3. When all the meat is browned, return everything to the casserole dish and pour over the Guinness. Add the bay leaves, thyme, salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer very gently, partially covered for 1� to 2 hours or until the meat is tender and the sauce slightly thickened. Alternatively, you can cook in a 170C/325F/gas mark 3 oven for the same amount of time. Check the liquid level occasionally to make sure it doesn�t become too dry, adding a little water if necessary.

4. When cooked, remove from the heat and tip the mixture into a wide baking dish, at least 5cm deep. Allow to cool to room temperature or store in the fridge.

5. Roll out the pastry and cut out 6 circles, each about 10cm in diameter, and lay them on the beef mixture so they overlap slightly. Brush with the beaten egg.

6. When ready to bake and serve, preheat the oven to 200C/400F/gas mark 6 and cook for 30 minutes or until the pastry is risen and golden and the pie heated through.

"comfort food" recipes from New Idea magazine

all 3 use the same basic principles for making, will convert to slow cooker soon.

beef, bean and bacon casserole
olive oil
1kg diced chuck steak
1 clove garlic
1 onion, chopped
6 bacon rashers, diced
150g tomato paste
2 cups (500ml) beef stock
1 tab chopped fresh thyme
500g chat potatoes, quartered
420g red kidney beans, drained
steamed silverbeet to serve

sticky beef casserole
olive oil
1kg diced gravy beef
1 clove garlic
1 onion, cut into wedges
1 tab brown sugar
1/4 cup dark soy sauce
1/3 cup sweet orange marmalade
2 cups (500ml) beef stock
2 tab cornflour
2 tab water
1 long red chilli, finely sliced
200g sugar snap peas
basmati rice to serve

rolled beef brisket
olive oil
1kg rolled beef brisket
100g sliced pancetta, chopped
2 clove garlic
1 stick celery, sliced
1 carrot, sliced
400g pickling onion, peeled
1 tspn mixed herbs
200g cup mushies, quartered
1 cups (250ml) beef stock
1 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup frozen peas
1 tab cornflour
2 tab water
mashed potato to serve

Method
heat oil, brown meat - in batches for diced meat
fry onion / garlic / bacon (plus pnacetta + carrot + celery)
add sauces, stock (plus mushrooms), etc bring to boil, replace beef and cover
cook in 160-180 oven for 1 1/4, 2, 3 hours
transfer to stovetop and add cornflour and water (and potatoes), cook til thickened
add extra veg and cook
serve

Links - Curries & Casseroles

braised chicken with lemon & olives

Butter Paneer Masala

Chicken braised in white wine

Coconut Chicken Masala

thanks to I think I have a recipe for that
sausage and bean casserole

Penguin's Delicious Chicken

here's a recipe inspired by a friend on another board my changes in italics...

Penguin's Delicious Chicken (serves 4)

8 chicken thighs or drumsticks 2 breasts, diced
2 Tbsp flour
salt and pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 leek, washed and sliced
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped 2 tablespoons minced garlic
1-2 carrots, sliced 2 carrots
1 parsnip, sliced 2 parsnips
1 tin (400g) diced tomatoes in juice
2 cups chicken stock 1 chicken stock cube
3 tablespoons tomato paste

Preheat oven to 180C. Toss the chicken in seasoned flour.
In a heavy-based frying pan brown the chicken on high heat, then remove and place in a large casserole dish. Add a little more oil to the pan on medium heat and cook the leek, garlic, carrots and parsnip for 5 minutes, stirring until tender. Add to the chicken. Then put the tomatoes and stock in the pan and bring to the boil, simmer for 5 minutes until it thickens slightly. Add to the casserole dish. Cover and bake in oven for 1 hour, then remove lid and cook for 15-20 minutes more. Serve with mashed potatoes or rice.

You can use an onion if you don't like leeks. You can also substitute other veges if you prefer but this is a nice combination. Leftovers reheat beautifully!

spray pan with cooking spray, fry chicken til lightly browned, place in slow cooker. gently fry all veg & garlic until onion / leek is slightly softened. put all ingredients in SC & mix. cook on high 2 hours & low 1 hour.