This recipe makes for an easy pull together meal of pulled beef rolls or tortillas topped with salsa. If you have a slow cooker everything can be thrown in and set on low for eight hours. Add more chilli if you like a kick of heat.  The reduced cooking liquid becomes a savoury, sour and sweet sauce.

serves 4 - 6

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 

800g – 1kg chuck steak

1 onion, finely sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes

250ml (1 cup) tomato sauce

60ml (¼ cup) Worcester sauce

300ml beer, or beef stock

½ teaspoon sea salt

freshly ground pepper

Remove the meat from fridge for 30 minutes before cooking.

Heat the oil in a heavy based large cast iron pot large enough to hold meat snugly, over a medium heat.  Add the beef and cook both sides until golden brown, about 2 - 3 minutes each side. Transfer the meat to a plate and set aside. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened.  

Return the meat to the pot.  Add the garlic, bay leaves, cumin, chilli, tomato sauce, Worcester sauce, beer, salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Cover surface with a piece of baking paper and a tight fitting lid. Reduce heat to low and cook for 2½ hours until the meat is very tender and pulls apart easily using two forks.  Depending on the size of meat you may need at least an additional 30 minutes.  The longer the meat cooks the more tender it will become. Transfer meat onto a large plate or bowl and using two forks pull meat away to shred into small pieces, discarding any gristle. 

While shredding the meat, return the pot on a medium-high heat and cook until the cooking liquid reduces by half, about 15 minutes.  Set aside to cool. Season the sauce to taste with extra salt and pepper, if required 

If using sauce and meat the next day, transfer into a sealed container and place in the fridge overnight.  Before reheating, skim off any solidified fat and discard. 

Serving suggestions:  

• Make a pulled beef roll with coleslaw or fill with lettuce, sliced tomato and bread and butter pickles. Serve with the reduced sauce.

• Top warmed tortillas with pulled beef and a salsa of diced tomatoes, avocado, chill and coriander. Serve with lime or lemon wedge and reduced sauce.

Fiona Hammond © January 2020