James Whelan Butchers: Beef Casserole with Cranberries and Port

Beef Casserole with Cranberries and PortThis is a great dish that you can prepare ahead of time and freeze for later use.

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Ingredients

  • 2 tablesp. flour
  • 2 teasp. ground mace
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 kg. diced round steak, well trimmed
  • 3 tablesp. oil
  • 3 large onions, chopped
  • 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 4-5 sticks of celery chopped
  • 1 tablesp. whole grain mustard
  • Glass of red wine
  • Glass of port
  • 600ml beef stock
  • 2-3 bay leaves
  • 2 tablesp. fresh oregano or thyme, chopped
  • 300g (approx) cranberries

Serves 10

To Cook

A day ahead if possible, mix the spice mixture and rub over the beef, leave in the fridge overnight.

Mix the flour, mace and seasoning together. Toss the diced beef in the seasoned flour. Heat the oil in a large pan and brown the beef, in batches. Then transfer to a large flameproof casserole dish. Add the onions, garlic and celery to the pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes, then add mustard and wine. Bring to the boil and reduce for a few minutes. Pour the lot over meat in the casserole. Add the port, stock, herbs and half the cranberries.

Cover and cook gently for approx 2 hours until the meat is tender, or cook in the oven 180°C, 375°F, Gas Mark 4, for about the same time. 15 minutes before the end of cooking time add in the remaining cranberries. Check the seasoning before serving and garnish with sprigs of watercress and orange. Lovely with creamy mashed potatoes and crusty bread toasted and drizzled with olive oil and chopped herbs.

Serving Suggestions

To garnish, sprigs of watercress and strips of orange peel

We hope you enjoyed reading this post by Pat Whelan of James Whelan Butchers. Pat is a 5th generation butcher, cook book author and the director of  James Whelan Butchers with shops in Clonmel, the Avoca Handweavers Rathcoole and Kilmacanogue, Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt, Rathmines and Swords in Dublin. Sign up to our newsletter for more updates from James Whelan Butchers

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