Potted Beef Food

HOMEMADE POTTED BEEF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/Gas 3
• Put the beef in an ovenproof dish which has a lid. Season sparingly with salt but be generous with the pepper.Stir in 50ml of the stock.
• Lay the butter slices over the beef to cover. Put the lid on the dish - if the lid isn't tight-fitting, put a piece of foil over the dish before putting on the lid.
• Put the dish in the oven and cook until the beef is very soft (3-5 hours).After 30-40 minutes remove the lid, stir to separate any pieces of meat that have stuck together, then replace the lid and return to the oven until done.
• When the beef is very tender, remove the dish from the oven, take off the lid and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
• Tip the contents of the dish into a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth, adding as much extra stock as needed to loosen it. IMPORTANT: the potted meat will firm up a lot when cold so should be a rather loose mixture at this stage.Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
• Transfer the potted beef to individual ramekins, jars or one larger container, cover and leave to chill in the fridge.
• Serve spread on crusty bread or toast, with pickles such as cornichons, onions etc. on the side.Should keep for 4 days in the fridge or can be frozen.Tip: if the cooled potted beef is firmer than you'd like, beat in a little cold beef stock. It's also delicious pinged in the microwave for 12- 20 seconds which will soften and warm it.

BEEF POT ROAST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C).
• Heat a heavy Dutch oven on top of the stove over medium high heat. Add oil, and sear meat in the center of the pan for 4 minutes. Turn meat over with tongs; sear all sides for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Remove meat from pan. Arrange onion, garlic, and 1 bay leaf in the bottom of the pan, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Return meat to pan, place remaining bay leaf on top of meat, and cover.
• Cook in the oven for 30 minutes at 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Reduce the heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), and cook for 1 1/2 hours. Remove roast to a platter to rest for 10 to 15 minutes. Slice, and top with onions and gravy.

POTTED BEEF AND MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Place the dried mushrooms in a small pot and cover with half the beef stock. Bring to boil and simmer until very tender and liquids reduce by one-third, 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile heat the olive oil, a couple turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper and brown half the meat until evenly crusted all over. Remove the browned meat to a plate. Repeat for the remaining meat, using more oil as needed.
• Add the butter to the meat drippings and melt. Add the thyme and portabellas, cook until well browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, add the garlic and onions and cook 5 minutes more. Add the wine and deglaze the pan. Chop and add the porcinis and their liquids, the remaining 2 cups of stock and Worcestershire. Cover and roast until tender, 2 hours. Cool and store for a make-ahead meal. Reheat in 325 degrees F oven until heated through, or on the stovetop, partially covered, over a medium flame. Toss the parsley and celery with the lemon juice, EVOO and some salt and pepper, then mix in the cheese. Garnish the stew with the celery salad on top.

POTTED BEEF WITH PEARS AND CIPOLLINI ONIONS AND HORSERADISH CREAM

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Bring a medium pot of water to boil for the onions. Salt the water and boil the onions for 5 minutes. Then drain the onions and cool to handle. Peel the onions by squishing the root end out of the skins.
• Bring the beef to room temperature and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven and add the beef in batches, browning until deeply caramelized all over. Repeat until all the beef has been browned, adding more oil when necessary. Remove the browned meat to a plate, covered with foil and reserve for later use.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the butter to the same pot used for browning the meat. When the butter foams, add the onions to the pot. Season with salt and pepper, and add in the thyme, allspice, cloves and some nutmeg. Cook until light caramel in color, 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drizzle in the honey. Then add the sherry to deglaze the pan. Next, add the stock and the browned beef. Cover and roast in the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes. Add the pears and stir to combine. Roast until the beef is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour more. Cool and store in the refrigerator for a make-ahead meal.
• When ready to serve, reheat the potted beef in a 325 degrees F oven or on the stove-top, covered over medium-low heat.
• Stir up the sour cream with the chives, heavy cream and horseradish. Season with salt and pepper. Serve atop the beef and onions with pears.

POTTED BEEF

Steps:

• In a heavy medium saucepan, simmer the beef in 1/4 inch of water. Stew until very tender, about 2 to 3 hours, replacing water as necessary. Drain, reserving the liquid.
• Pass the cooked stew meat through a meat grinder twice, until it is the consistency of a thick, stringy paste.
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Filter the melted butter through clean muslin (cheese cloth), to remove the milk solids.
• In a medium bowl, mix the cooked meat with 3/4 of the strained, melted butter. Season with salt, pepper, paprika and nutmeg to taste. Stir in desired amount of reserved cooking liquid to moisten.
• Transfer the mixture to sterile containers and top with remaining butter. Seal and chill in the refrigerator until serving.

POTTED BEEF FOR SANDWICHES OR TOAST

Steps:

• Set the oven to 275°F
• Trim the meat, removing all sinews, and cut into chunks.
• Place in an ovenproof dish with a tight-fitting lid.
• Sprinkle over the pepper and nutmeg, then drizzle over the anchovy essence.
• Lastly, lay the butter over the top.
• Cover tightly and cook for at least 5 hours, until the meat is extremely tender (you can put it into the oven a hour or two before you go to bed, then retrieve it when you rise in the morning).
• Once it has been in the oven for a couple of hours (or just before you hit the sack), give it a stir, then cover again and leave it be in the oven.
• Once it is cooked, cool slightly, then place in a food processor and blitz until smooth, pale and light.
• Taste and add salt only if necessary (the anchovy paste will probably have provided quite enough).
• Pack into pots, cover with plastic wrap, and stash in the fridge to solidify.
• The potted beef will keep like this for a day or two in the fridge, but if you wish to keep it longer, for up to a week, seal the pots with clarified butter.