Anyone know a good recipe?

Better still… any chef’s on FISO?
I have been trying to cook a decent braising steak in our slow cooker.
Have tried several times, but just cant get it perfected.
My most recent attempt was about the best so far…. but just lacked something.


I want the gravy to be nice and rich…. But just cant get. Whats the trick?
I have tried Guiness – but doesn’t seem to do anything.

So what else can I try?
Am I right in thinking sometimes you can have stilton in there? Ordinarily I wouldn’t touch the stuff (strictly a mature cheddar or Diary Lea man);
But would the stilton melt away, but giving a nice rich flavour (or have I fabricated the stilton notion)?

In last night’s I had shallots, half a red pepper, garlic and a few star anise.
Coated the steak cubs in seasoned flour.
Half Guiness, half beef stock (Tesco’s finest (liquid)… so not an oxo cube, but not home made either)).

What’s the crack?

Any advice?


If it helps:
Marks and Sparks do a big (square) Yorkshire pudding thing with chunks of beef in it and thinly slice potatoes on top (about 6 or 7 quid, feeds two).
I want my gravy (and meat) to taste like that.

are you frying the floured cubes of meat off before adding them to the slow cooker (and the bits from the pan).

Guiness is a bit too much for me, usually use something like a 4.5% bitter/kentish ale o.s.a. Yes, stilton will melt off but I find getting the right amount of it a little tricky to stop it being either non existant or overpowering so I leave that out - and I'm a massive Stilton fan.

Otherwise, just keep experimenting like you're doing until you find a combo you like, good excuse to eat beef.

Going to bed now, but it's all in the little things (so can't answer till tommorrow)

What herbs / spices you putting in >>>

Salt / pepper Etc >>>>

Soy sauce / worcester sause / loads you can add it's all about balance

These are what makes the dish (fresh herbs)

Your recipe with tomato puree, mushrooms + carrots less the pepper (im assuming you've browned off your meat + onions) seasoned well with a bouquet garnie or similar herbs slow cooked for upto 8 hours and finished with a knob of butter for extra richness usually works for me . Full bottle of guiness or bishops finger type ale. yum

Too lah-dee-dah.

Simple scouse is immense. Over complicate it and you lose something IMO.

Forgot the tom purée, had that in there.
Didn't brown the meat off though (supposedly don't need to when using a slow cooker?).
No fungi thanks very much.

Hadnt added/tried a nob of butter.

Whilst I'm all for herbs, will they give it any more richness/fuller flavour?

I'd be willing to do the browning bit, but ideally want to bang it on before leaving for work (about 6:45) so don't want to piss around frying and stuff. Throwing a load of stuff in the slow cooker is plenty enough hassle thanks.

Maybe on a weekend I'd do the browning bit.

all advice seems sound so far.

Maybe boiling up/reducing the aklcohol will add more richness if it's an intense flavour you want.

I still brown meat if doing something in the slow cooker - possibly more from habit

I use oyster sauce - has glutamates (you'll have heard of msg) and gives you lots of "umami" http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-umami.htm - if you've ever had broccolli beef in an asian restaurant, you'll know how it works. Yum.

Brown your meat and a quick run through the pan for onions too. Veggies (potatoes, carrots probably enough) all about the same size except for a few smaller potatoes that will break down and become part of your gravy - superb.

Don't have too much stock - don't need much liquid in a slowcooker.

Season to taste. Could always stir in bovril or stock cubes to add a bit more flavour if you think it warrants it. A good splash of Worcestershire sauce is allowed. Tomatoes possibly but don't go mad with them. Ale adds a bit - but I reckon a strong ale taints it too much.

Should really be all about the simple ingredients providing clear, classic, flavours - cooked long enough to really come together. That's where I think some stews miss the mark - they try to put a stamp on a classic by adding ridiculous herbs or odd ingredients. Stew was around before they claim Christ was around - why ruin it?

What cut of beef are you using? That will massively affect the flavour in your gravy.

I can assure you JC's cook put herbs in his stew

Nah he was a simple kind of bloke. Potato stew with daily bread.