Description
This Slow Cooker Beef and Chorizo Casserole is the ultimate winter comfort food. The rich flavors of beef and spicy chorizo cook slowly to create a warming and satisfying dish. Perfect for busy days when you want a hearty dinner ready when you get home!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
- 500g stewing beef, cut into chunks
- 25g plain (all-purpose) flour or cornflour
- 1 teaspoon sweet (mild) or smoked paprika
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 onions, peeled and sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 200g chorizo sausage, peeled and cut into chunks
- 1 tablespoon tomato purée
- 200ml beef stock (using a stock pot)
- 200ml full-bodied red wine or good-quality beer, OR another 200ml beef stock
- 2 teaspoons soft light brown or demerara sugar
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large or 2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
- 2 bay leaves
- A few sprigs of fresh thyme or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 150g mushrooms, sliced in half
Instructions
- Preheat your slow cooker on LOW, if necessary.
- Place the flour and paprika in a medium mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add the beef cubes and coat them in the flour.
- Heat the oil in a large pan. Lightly shake off any excess flour from the beef before adding it to the pan. Brown the meat in batches, ensuring not to overcrowd the pan. When all the beef is evenly browned, remove it from the pan and set it aside.
- Drizzle a little more oil in the pan and add the onions. Turn the heat to low-medium and cook the onions for about 5 minutes, stirring often to prevent burning.
- Add the garlic and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Add the chorizo to the pan and cook for a few minutes until some of the spicy oil is released. Stir in the tomato purée and cook for 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat. In a large jug or mixing bowl, combine the beef stock, red wine or beer, sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.
- Transfer the browned beef, chorizo, onions, garlic, and carrots to the slow cooker, along with the bay leaves and thyme.
- Pour over the beef stock and red wine or beer. Place the lid on the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours, or until the beef is meltingly tender and the vegetables are softened.
- Remove the lid and add the mushrooms, making sure they are submerged. Set the slow cooker to HIGH, cover, and cook for a further 30 minutes.
- (Carefully!) Taste the casserole and adjust the seasoning if needed. Serve with mashed potatoes and vegetables.
Notes
- If you prefer, you can replace the wine with more beef stock for a non-alcoholic version.
- This casserole can be made a day ahead and reheated. It actually tastes better the next day when the flavors have had time to meld.
- If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can also cook this casserole on the stovetop in a large pot, simmering for 2-3 hours on low heat.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 550 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 900 mg
- Fat: 32 g
- Saturated Fat: 12 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 25 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 45 g
- Cholesterol: 110 mg