Meat, Beef… Lesson #3 – The Beef Casserole

Beef is the culinary term used for meat from Bovines (Cattle). The word beef originally adapted from the Latin word “bos” meaning ox, then translated to “boef” in old French and finally made to its current name, “beef” in middle English.

Beef ranks third as the most popular meat consumed by people and accounts for 25% of meat production in the world. The variety of beef products ranges from ground beef, all the way up to steaks, from bovines grown in the modern, conventional, and as well as organic ways.

Organic beef is from cattle that are only fed organic grain and grasses grown without the use of artificial chemicals, fertilizer, or pesticide, and the cattle are reared without the use of artificial chemicals such as antibiotics and growth increasing hormones. Organic beef is very popular among those who are health conscious.

English cuts of Lamb have evolved through the centuries and reflect the change in cooking methods and taste in English homes.

Apart from this, processed beef is also commonly available in the supermarket made from beef that is preserved to increase its shelf life by the process of curing, smoking, salting, or other added preservatives. The extensive use of chemicals here, generally renders the meat, not good for health and increases the risk of cancer and other diseases.When buying meat, it is always good to ask a professional butcher to provide you with the right cut of meat and personalized requests could also be made to portion down the meat to the required size in line with your recipe, for added convenience.

To learn more about the popular cuts of Beef, you can go through the introductory lesson: Meat – Beef… Bringing the Best Out of a Good Cut!‍

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Beef Recipe of the Day - The Beef Casserole

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About Beef Casserole

‘Casserole’ is a French word meaning ‘ladle like pan’ – a large, deep dish that is used to cook and serve something in. As the name suggests, Beef Casserole is a classic French beef stew wherein, diced chuck steak are simmered in beef stock, herbs, and vegetables in a deep pan for hours until a rich, aromatic, intense sauce covers melting tender pieces of meat.

Stews vary from cuisine to cuisine of different cultures and have a great amount of history behind them as they have been noted in history as far back as 10,000 years ago. Apart from stews, several other dishes such as the Spanish Paella, British Pot Pies, and Italian Lasagna, to name few, seem to have been derived from the idea of a common dish which everyone shared and because of its vague definition, they can all be classified as Casseroles.

This Dish

The browned meat is gently cooked in an aromatic luxuriously rich stew that is flavored with fresh herbs, vegetables, and spices. This dish is served best with toasted garlic bread.

Recipe Card (to serve 4 pax)

Method of Cooking

1. In a large mixing bowl add the flour along with salt, black pepper, sage and allspice; mix until evenly combined, add the beef pieces, and toss until coated with flour. Once done, set aside.

2. In a medium stockpot heat 4 tablespoons of oil, sauté the onions and carrots until they begin to turn golden brown. Put the vegetables into a bowl and set aside.

3. In the same pan add the remaining oil; pan fry the beef pieces until golden brown.

4. When all the meat is browned spoon out the beef into a bowl, stir in the orange juice and beef stock, and let it come to a boil.

5. Add water to the pan and stir in the browned beef and vegetables. Add salt, black pepper, orange zest, and bay leaves, bring to a boil, and reduce heat to simmer for 2½ hours.

6. Serve hot with steamed rice.