Beef Casserole

This is an Aussie country-style beef casserole. It's the recipe my mum made on repeat during those long winters of my younger years in the 1980s and 90s.

This dish is back on the weekly menu at my house! It transforms a cheap cut of meat into something deliciously tasty and tender, and the method is fuss-free – no searing beforehand, everything goes into the casserole dish. It also requires less cooking than a traditional stew, for example, just 3 hours in the oven.

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• Ingredient notes
• How to make mum's Beef Casserole
• Serving and storage
• More retro Aussie dinners
• Beef Casserole Recipe

Ingredient notes

I prefer gravy beef for this recipe as it is a very mild-tasting meat. Chuck steak also works well and you might prefer it if you want something a little richer in flavour. You'll need basic veges: onion, potatoes, carrots and frozen peas. To flavour and thicken the sauce, you'll need: Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce (or paste if you prefer a richer flavour), salt and pepper, Gravox and plain flour.

The full list of ingredients and quantities are in the recipe card at the end of this post. Keep in mind that this is a versatile recipe and can easily be adapted to suit your tastes. You could, for example, include less meat and add in another vege. Some people like to add a tomato to the mix. Hate peas? Leave them out!

How to make mum's Beef Casserole

As I mentioned above, this is a fuss-free recipe. The full method is in the recipe card at the end of the post. But, while you're here, I'll just run through the basic process.

Some simple prepping

It cooks at 160 degrees celsius/320 degrees fahrenheit – so start by pre-heating the oven. You'll need a casserole dish with a lid, and it needs to be at least 3quart/2.8 litres in volume.

Chopping the meat and veg

You then chop the beef (I like to trim the fat off), onions, potatoes and carrots into small-ish chunks. Put it all in the casserole dish. That's right, I don't bother to sear the meat beforehand. Apparently, the process adds flavour. There is a scientific reason. I've tried making it both ways and can't tell the difference. My husband, not knowing I was experimenting, commented on how extra delicious it was the night I made it without the searing. And not having an extra pan to wash up is always a win.

Adding the flavour

Next, you add the flavourings and some warm water. You'll need to mix the Gravox and plain flour with a cup of the water before adding it to the dish.

Cooking

The casserole cooks for an hour with the lid on and 2 hours uncovered. You add the peas to the dish at the end of the cooking.

Serving and storage

After you've added the peas, place the dish back into the oven and switch off the oven. Let your dinner rest in the still-warm oven for 5 minutes (or up to one hour) before serving.

Serve straight from the oven. It's a whole meal on its own, though you can serve with some rice or bread.

Store any leftovers, covered, in the fridge for up to 2 days. You could also store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months.

More retro Aussie dinners

Want more good ol' Aussie dinners? Try one of these:

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