Serves 4–6 people
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Ingredients
- 1kg beef chuck or stewing steak, cut into 4cm cubes
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil (about 30ml)
- 2 large onions (about 300g), finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic (about 10g), minced
- 2 tbsp sweet paprika (about 16g)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika (about 3g)
- 2 tbsp tomato purée (about 30g)
- 1 tbsp plain flour (about 8g)
- 750ml beef stock (hot)
- 2 large carrots (about 200g), sliced into thick rounds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 tsp salt (about 5g)
- Black pepper, to taste
- 200ml soured cream (for serving)
- Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Method
- Brown the beef
Heat oil in a large casserole dish over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches until well-seared, removing each batch to a plate. - Cook the onions and garlic
Reduce heat to medium. Add onions and cook for 8 minutes until softened. Stir in garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. - Add paprika and tomato purée
Remove the pot briefly from the heat, stir in both paprikas, then add tomato purée. Mix well. - Thicken and deglaze
Sprinkle in the flour and stir. Return the pot to the heat and gradually pour in hot beef stock, scraping up the browned bits from the base. - Add vegetables and beef
Return the browned beef to the pot with carrots, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Bring to a gentle simmer. - Slow cook
Cover with a lid and cook on low heat for 1 hour 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is tender. - Serve
Remove bay leaves. Serve with a generous spoon of soured cream and a sprinkle of parsley, alongside crusty bread or buttered noodles.
Chef’s Note
For a richer flavour, make the stew a day ahead and reheat gently — paprika deepens beautifully overnight.