Beef stew will have an ‘extra punch of flavour’ if they add chef’s 1 simple ingredient (Image: Getty)
A beef stew is perfect for ng on cold winter evenings or any day of the week, as it is quick and easy to whip up.
However, it can be disappointing when this home-cooked meal comes out lacking in taste.
To avoid this, the professional chefs behind the food blog claimed there is one “secret ingredient” that will give beef stew “more flavour.”
They said: “With this , create a great stew that’s hearty and full of flavour, with a rich sauce that clings to each tender piece of beef and vegetable.”
This one ingredient that’s needed “adds a bit of tang, sweetness and savoury spices that give an extra punch of flavour”.
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A beef stew is perfect for cooking on cold winter evenings (Image: Getty)
The ingredient is fruit chutney – it balances out the flavours so that the rich and decadent sauce has you “coming back for more”, but it doesn’t overpower the dish.
Ingredients
Two tablespoons of plain flour
Salt and pepper
1.5 kg beef chuck steak, trimmed, cut into 5cm cubes
Three tablespoons olive oil
One large onion, sliced
Two cloves garlic, crushed
One tablespoon of fresh thyme leaves
Two tablespoons of tomato paste
125ml dry red wine
185ml beef stock
A bunch of baby carrots, washed and trimmed
Two celery stalks, sliced on a diagonal into 2cm pieces
A 250g jar of Fruit Chutney
One-third cup chopped parsley
Method
Start by seasoning the flour with salt and pepper and coat the beef cubes in it.
Preheat a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of oil and brown the beef on all sides, in batches before transferring to a slow cooker.
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Fruit chutney is recommended for beef stews (Image: Getty)
The third step is to heat the remaining oil in the same pan. Add onion, garlic and thyme. Cook, stirring often, over medium heat for three to four minutes until the onions are tender. Stir in tomato paste. Add red wine. Bring to the boil.
Then transfer the onion mixture to the bowl of the slow cooker. Add stock, carrots, celery and chutney.
Cover and cook on high for four to six hours or on low for seven to eight hours. Top with chopped parsley. Serve with mashed potato or some crusty bread.
To cook this in the oven, preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas Mark 3 and follow the up to the end of the third step, using a large stovetop and ovenproof casserole. Add beef back to pot, cover and cook for three hours or until beef is tender.
This stew is great for batch cooking. Place portions into sealed containers. Label and freeze for up to two months.
Defrost in the fridge overnight and then warm in a low oven, on the stove or in the microwave.