Slow Cooked Beef Shin

I cooked this for 30 friends on New Years Eve. I had huge marrow bones for the stock which cooked for a day or so before the casserole was started. The casserole cooked for about 8 hours in a very low oven. I've adaped the recipe here for a kilo of beef. It's probably more use that way.

Feeds 5 hungry folk

Ingredients:

1kg beef in large chunks (I use shin)
2 tablespoons seasoned plain flour
2 sticks celery
2 large carrots
1 litre good beef stock
1/2 bottle wine
olive oil to fry
2 bay leaves
tablespoon chopped thyme

Method:

Finely chop and fry the onions, carrot and celery (together) till they are well softened. Stir in the flour and set aside. Get a pan really hot and brown the meat in batches and add to the veg mix. Try to slightly burn it all. The flavour seeps through the stew in the slow cooking. If you use a non-non-stick pan, and its a mess by the end of this, you're in luck because you can deglaze the pan with some wine and the dark burnt bits make a lovely stock. I use a le creuset if possible. However burnt it gets at the start, the bottom is always free after the long cooking.

Once all the meat and veg are done, put them in a casserole and stir in the stock and wine. Bring to the boil on the hob then put in the oven at about 140 for 3 hours. Alternatively, stick it in a slow cooker for 12 hours or more. The flavour just keeps concentrating throughout the cooking, especially if the meat is really well browned.

Taken from my own imagination and love of all things hearty.