Shredded savoury beef in the slow cooker is the ultimate easy, family-friendly dinner. With minimal prep and rich, delicious flavour, this recipe is perfect for busy nights when you want something hearty with little effort.
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A lot of people think of the slow cooker at a winter appliance but not me. In my house, the slow cooker is out year-round.
Yes the types of dishes change (sort of) but I cannot forgo months of something so easy as throwing a few ingredients in a dish and walking away then returning hours later to dinner.
I just can't resist. I also love adapting tasty-looking recipes for the slow cooker which usually only involves adding a little more flavour and reducing the liquid content.
When I saw 'Delicious steak pies' in last month's Super Food Ideas I thought they'd be perfect.
I've started grabbing the cheapest big chunk of meat they have when I do my monthly butcher shop for the sole purpose of making some variety of shredded meat. Last time I picked up a 1kg hunk of organic chuck steak for just $17. Quite a bargain wasn't it?
You may want to try this healthy lunchbox muffins recipe.
So instead of using pieces of meat like the pie I thought I'd do a shredded savoury beef in the slow cooker. I got the slow cooker all set up early in the morning and was all set to make pies for dinner.
Then it got to ⅚pm and I was tired. Seriously tired and too tired to make little pies so we had the shredded meat on pasta instead and it was really good.
The next day for lunch I made a little free-form bon-bon pie and the tender, rich meat combined with the flaky pastry was quite a treat.
You may think that the ends are a bit of a waste of pastry. I love puff pastry so much that one of my favourite treats my grandma used to make for me was puff pastry shapes.
She'd literally just cut shapes out of sheets of puff pastry and bake them and I'd be in heaven. My taste buds may have matured but I could still eat sheets of the stuff plain.
If you'd like to make the meat into a bon-bon pie just follow the photos above. Make sure the meat is cool before you start or it will be soggy on the bottom and no-one likes a soggy pie.
I used chives as my ribbon and baked the pie for about 30 minutes at 200C fan-forced.
Get some tips on how to use tinned tomato here.
Inside a jaffle with a little cheese, on top of baked potato or simply on toast are a few other ways I can think of to enjoy this tasty shredded beef. Enjoy!
What about you? How would you eat it?
Recipe
Shredded savoury beef in the slow cooker
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 kg chuck steak
- 1 medium brown onion chopped
- ¼ cup beef stock double strength
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoon tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 400 g can diced tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
- Puff pastry sheets if you want to make pies
Instructions
- Heat the oil in the bottom of a large frying pan. I use my slow cooker dish because it can go on the stove too.
- Brown the meat on all sides then transfer the meat into the slow cooker.
- Stir all the other ingredients together in a bowl then pour them over the meat.
- Put the lid on and cook on low for 8 hours.
- Take the lid off and remove the meat from the cooker and use two forks to shred it.
- Return the shredded meat to the cooker and stir it through the sauce, then with the lid off, cook for another hour on high or until the sauce thickens.
Tricia @ Saving room for dessert says
This is so lovely! I am impressed - so smart, it looks amazing and is quick to put together - yum!
Claire says
Thanks Tricia!
celia says
Claire, that looks mouthwatering! I love the little parcel. And do get some rest, that bubba will be draining you! xx
Claire says
Thanks Celia! I am trying to take it easy. Yes bubba does seem to take it out of me a bit! x
The Café Sucre Farine says
What a wonderful way to use that shredded beef Claire. I'm with you, I'll take puff pastry on it's own, any which way, it's the best. I love your chive "ribbons", how fun!
Claire says
If only it wasn't so naughty I'd whip it up as a snack all the time!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
How cute are these little rolls! And yes good puff plain is a snack from heaven! :D
Claire says
Isn't it?
Lisa the Gourmet Wog says
YUM!! They look awesome! I'm quite the same, I don't mind a slow cooked recipe all year round (and ice cream in winter too!) x
Claire says
Me too Lisa!
Hotly Spiced says
I think you'll love your slow cooker even more when you're a mum. The evenings are incredibly busy and it's typically 'arsenic hour' where babies can be quite unsettled. Then there's bathing and changing and feeding and before you know it, it's nearly midnight. Having something brewing away in that slow cooker will be a life saver. I was wondering how you tied your bon bon (gorgeous by the way). I thought it was shallots! xx
Claire says
Yes I imagine it will become my favourite appliance Charlie! Just need to find some more recipes now. I so hope not every night ends with midnight dinner!
The Life of Clare says
We don't actually have a slow cooker, and I've only used one once at my mother in laws house, but it's on our to buy list and I can't wait!
Claire says
Move it to the top Clare!