Beef Stew

Beef Stew
½ kg to 1kg shin beef (preferably sliced or in one big lump,
not cut in small bits with the grobblies still
on)
trim off gristle, cut in chunks and if time
brown in olive oil
onion
carrots cut in chunks
onions can be browned after meat if time
turnip
garlic
tin tomatoes
stock ie cube or one spoon bovril
splodge of red wine adds flavour
yellow split peas 2-3 dessert spoonfuls
boil in water for 10 mins while doing other
preparations if using oven rather than
pressure cooker
assemble all above; add hot water if necessary and cook in
pressure cooker for about 35-40 minutes after getting to pressure,
or bring to boil in hot oven then turn right down to 120 ish and cook
very slowly for about 3 hours.
If you make this with braising steak it takes less time in the oven –
1-2 hours?
Can be frozen after cooling rapidly (stand pan in cold water in the
sink) in plastic bags. If freezing keep fluid to minimum and add
water after defrosting if needed.
After the browning stage it can be done in the slow cooker for 6-8
hours.
This is a concoction by R and C from student days in Leeds after Sheila revamped her
kitchenware and passed on the pressure cooker. Used to get cheap shin beef and vegets
from the old Leeds covered market which burnt down the day before we got married in
1975. You could see it from the attic window of our flat in Brudenell Avenue.