Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 1 1/2 lbs stewing beef or 1 1/2 braising steak
• 2 tablespoons plain flour
• 2 large onions
• 3 sticks celery
• 3 large carrots
• 1 (355 ml) bottle ale
• 1 beef stock cube
• 1 tablespoon sage
• 1 tablespoon thyme
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• salt and pepper
• water

Instructions

1. Clean and slice the vegetables into even sized pieces.

2. Cut the beef into bite sized pieces as you like.

3. Heat the oil in a large cast iron or other suitable casserole pot on the hob.

4. Dust the beef with seasoned flour, shake off excess and brown the beef in the hot oil, do this in batches, removing each batch on to a plate with a slotted spoon.

5. When all the beef is browned and removed from the pot add the sliced vegetables to the pot along with the ale and stock cube.

6. Add the beef and any juices from the plate into the pot and top up the pot with water so that the contents are almost covered.

7. Chop 1 table spoon each of sage, thyme and parsley (including parsley stalks) and stir into the pot.

8. Put the lid on the pot and put the casserole into a medium hot oven (bottom oven of the AGA) for 2 and a half to 3 hours.

9. Checks seasonings and serve with mashed potatoes and a green vegetable.