Hearty Beef Casserole Dish (Print Version)
Tender beef with root vegetables in a rich gravy, perfect for cozy family dinners.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 2.6 lbs beef chuck, cut into 1.5-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 large onions, chopped
03 - 3 medium carrots, sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 1 lb potatoes, peeled and cubed
06 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
→ Liquids
07 - 3 cups beef stock
08 - 14 oz canned chopped tomatoes
09 - 3/4 cup red wine (optional)
10 - 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
→ Spices & Herbs
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 1 tsp dried thyme
13 - 1 tsp dried rosemary
14 - Salt and black pepper, to taste
→ Others
15 - 2 tbsp plain flour
16 - 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
# How-To Steps:
01 - Set oven temperature to 320°F.
02 - Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels and coat evenly with flour, shaking off any excess.
03 - Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large ovenproof casserole over medium-high heat. Brown beef in batches on all sides, then transfer to a plate.
04 - Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the casserole. Cook onions, carrots, celery, and garlic for 5 minutes until softened.
05 - Return beef to casserole, then add potatoes, tomatoes, beef stock, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper. Stir thoroughly.
06 - Bring mixture to a simmer on the stovetop, cover with lid, and transfer to the oven.
07 - Bake for 2 to 2.5 hours, stirring halfway through, until beef is fork-tender and sauce has thickened.
08 - Remove bay leaves, adjust seasoning as needed, and serve hot.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- It's genuinely hard to mess up—the oven does most of the work while you're free to do literally anything else.
- Tastes even better the next day, which means built-in leftovers that actually taste like you meant to make them that way.
- Fills the entire house with the kind of smell that makes people want to stay for dinner.
02 -
- Lifting the lid repeatedly adds cooking time and lets precious steam escape—resist the urge to peek more than once halfway through.
- The beef needs to actually be browned on all sides, not just a quick sear, because that's where the flavor gets built.
- Covering the casserole properly is crucial; the lid needs to fit snugly so the moisture stays in and the meat becomes genuinely tender.
03 -
- Don't skip the browning step—it's not fussy, it's essential, and it's where the actual flavor comes from.
- A good ovenproof casserole dish with a tight lid is worth having because this recipe is just the beginning of what you can make with it.