Beef and Red Wine Casserole

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A warming Beef and Red Wine Casserole that’s rich and comforting. Perfect with creamy mash on a cold, dark evening. The ultimate easy winter warmer.

My favourite thing about this time of the year is the food. Actually, that’s probably not quite true, Christmas is bloody good, and we’ve got birthdays and our anniversary before then, so it’s a busy season packed with lots of love.

But, food is a big part of all of these occasions for us, so I think it still counts.

Away from the celebration-type food, there’s nothing that I love more on a horribly cold day than a big comforting winter beef casserole.

I work from home, so even better, having the oven on low for hours and getting to smell my Beef and Red Wine casserole simmering away is extra warming, and a beef stew made with red wine has a fabulous rich smell that takes over the whole house.

And, if, after the school run, there’s a little glass of wine left, that’s fine too.

There’s something really lovely about throwing meat and veg into a pot and letting it simmer away slowly for hours until the meat melts in your mouth and the veg is really soft and tender.

So tasty, but really wonderfully warming too. Perfect after a busy day. You could cook this Beef and Red Wine Casserole earlier in the day and just warm it on the hob, or even cook it in a slow cooker so that it’s ready when you get in from work.

Why I Love This Beef in Red Wine Recipe

This recipe is lovely. I love it, and I think you will too because:

• Beef in red wine casserole is delicious. 
• There aren’t too many ingredients in this beef with red wine. Much of the flavour comes from the wine, so it’s super simple and budget-friendly. 
• A rich beef stew with red wine and herbs seems fancier than it is. 
• You can serve it with mash, bread, potatoes, or any lovely heavy carbs. 
• A beef casserole with red wine is the perfect comfort food. It’s filling and warming and smells gorgeous, perfect for an autumn or winter midweek dinner or as a change from a Sunday lunch. 
• It’s a one pot, which is always a win.

Ingredients for Beef and Red Wine Casserole

You can get the full quantities and instructions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. When I make this easy beef and red wine casserole, I use:

Diced Beef

Plain Flour

Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Cooking Oil – Olive oil, any other cooking oil, or cooking spray are all fab. 

Onions

Garlic – I often use garlic puree because I like a cheat, but crushed garlic cloves are good, too. 

Red Wine – A dry red is best. 

Beef Stock

Chantenay Carrots – Use peeled and sliced big carrots if you prefer.

Thyme

You’ll Also Need

I cook beef stew in a big Dutch oven-style dish suitable for use in the oven and on the hob. I probably cook most things in my Dutch Oven, if I’m honest. 

I also use a large chopping board, a sharp knife and a large mixing bowl 

Can You Add Tomato Puree?

I don’t tend to add tomato paste to this particular recipe, but I use it in many beef stews. If you wanted to add a tablespoon, it certainly wouldn’t hurt. 

Can You Add Bay Leaves?

Again, I add bay to many of my beef recipes, but I don’t think this one needs it. 

What Kind of Beef Should I Use in a Beef Casserole?

A great thing about any beef casserole is that you are cooking the meat very slowly in a rich gravy.

It’s going to be tender, and it’s going to take on a lot of the flavours. This means that the quality of the meat isn’t as important as in some other meals.

If you are looking to save money, shin or leg are great. Braising steak or a cheaper pack of diced stewing steak are easy and work well. Brisket is also excellent in a casserole, as it’s quite fatty and adds lots of flavour.

You could even use less meat and add some extra veg to bulk it out. Beef can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. Get some more tips on slow-cooking beef here.

Can You Use Leftovers in a Beef and Red Wine Casserole?

Another great option is using leftover beef from another meal. If you’ve got lots of roast beef left from a Sunday lunch, this is the perfect way to use it.

Skip browning the meat, and just add your diced chunks when you add the carrots. You might want to add some flour still to thicken the sauce but sprinkle it in carefully so that it doesn’t clump together.

What Kind of Red Wine Should You Cook With?

Ah, now red wine. Who knows? I don’t really drink it. If we’ve some left from cooking, or someone has bought us some, I might have a glass.

I don’t hate it, but I wouldn’t choose to buy myself a bottle to drink. So, really I know absolutely nothing about it. I got this pretty cool bottle from Aldi for £3.99.

I’d say experiment with different wines, but again, don’t feel like you need to spend a fortune to create a great taste. Start with something relatively mild, like a Merlot, and generally drier options are better for cooking.

Can You Freeze Red Wine for Cooking?

Red wine isn’t my favourite drink, so we mainly use it to cook. That means that once the bottle is open for a meal, I’m a bit lost.

The good news is once you’ve opened the bottle and used a little in your meal, you can freeze the leftover red wine to make other red wine casserole recipes at a later date.

Freeze either in a sealed tub or bag. Just make sure the seal is good, as the alcohol means that your red wine won’t freeze solid. It might stay a little soft.

Even better, you don’t need to defrost wine before you use it again. Just throw the frozen wine into a casserole and let it melt as it cooks.

Freezing a Beef Casserole

Personally, I try not to freeze a casserole. When you thaw and reheat, cells break down.

In something slow–cooked, where the meat and veg are very soft, this breakdown can lead to a bit of a mush. It’ll still taste great, and it’s certainly not the end of the world if you freeze it, but I wouldn’t recommend it.

If you’ve got any leftovers, place them in a sealed tub in your fridge, where they will last for a couple of days.

What Should You Serve Beef Casserole With?

For me, Beef and Red Wine Casserole becomes the perfect comfort food when you add a big scoop of creamy mashed potatoes.

But roast potatoes or even oven–baked jacket potatoes would also work well. If you prefer, some nice crusty bread to mop up the gravy would also work really well. That’s how I tend to eat the leftovers.

Do you Peel Chantenay Carrots?

Firstly, if you can’t get Chantenay, don’t worry. I do my food shopping in Aldi most of the time, and they don’t always have these.

So I’d just use big carrots and chop them into smaller buttons.

But, if you can get them, great. They are sweet and complement the rich red wine gravy really well.

I’d peel bigger carrots, but if you are using Chantenay, they’re really too small to peel, and you’d lose most of the carrots. Just chop the tops off and give them a quick rub to get rid of any hairs.

Because no one wants a hairy carrot in their Beef and Red Wine Casserole.

Beef and Red Wine Casserole Recipe FAQ

You Might Also Like

If you enjoy this beef stew recipe, I also recommend:

• Sausage and Chorizo Casserole
• Pork and Apple Casserole
• Sausage and Beer Casserole
• Minted Lamb Stew with Dumplings
• Chicken and Cider Casserole
• Pork and Cider Casserole
• Sausage and Bean Casserole

Beef and Red Wine Casserole

Author NameAuthor: Donna

A filling and tasty family meal. Serve with creamy mash for the ultimate winter comfort food.

5 from 5 votes

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs

Total Time 2 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Dinner

Cuisine British

Servings 4 People

Calories 737 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 750 g Diced Beef
• 2 Tablespoons Plain Flour
• Pinch Salt and pepper
• 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil
• 2 Onions (Finely Diced)
• 2 Cloves Garlic (Crushed)
• 250 ml Red Wine
• 500 ml Beef Stock
• 600 g Chantenay Carrots (End Chopped off and scrubbed to remove hairs)
• 2 Teaspoons Ground Thyme (Or 1 Sprig Fresh)

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 150 degrees C (fan-assisted).
• In a large mixing bowl, gently toss the beef in the flour, salt, and pepper.
• Heat the oil in a large flameproof pan or dish over medium heat on the hob.
• Add the beef and fry, stirring continuously, until browned.
• Remove from the pan and set to one side.
• Add the onions and fry for 5 minutes until soft, stirring often.
• Add the garlic for a further 2-3 minutes, stirring often.
• Return the meat and stir together.
• Pour in the red wine, stock, and carrots and add the thyme.
• Stir well and bring to a simmer.
• Cover (or transfer to an ovenproof dish first if needed) and place in the oven.
• Cook for 2 hours
• Serve straight from the oven with mashed potatoes for a filling family meal.

Notes

• If you don’t have Chantenay carrots, peel and chop larger carrots into batons or slices.
• I use a large cast-iron Dutch Oven, which is flame- and heatproof. You can also start in a large frying pan before transferring to an ovenproof dish and covering to bake.

Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.

Keyword beef, casserole

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