Beef casserole/stew - big or small chunks?

[BusWankers]

So what's the best result for beef casserole?

1-2"+ size pieces then cut up to eat in plate

Or smaller "bite size " chunks in the first place?

This is important!

Surely a casserole or stew is by nature supposed to be eaten with just a fork or spoon. If the chunks are so large I also need a knife to cut them up- then someone is doing it wrong!

Yes small, but no smaller than 1" cubes!

Small

They need to be the size that you can get into your mouth easily, without having to cut them up.

However, bear in mind that when you cook the chunks, they will shrink a little. So small, but not too small!

The already pre-cut stewing beef that I've been buying lately is tough as old boots and I'd be afraid of choking on larger chunks so I snip them into sometimes as small as 1/3 of their pre-cut size, before preparing to put in a stew.

I cook it till they fall apart with the press of a fork so don’t find it matters, often I just buy the big slabs of braising steak and cook it whole then run a fork through it when it’s cooked to break it up a bit.

I've always cut it up prior

I don't think I have ever eaten a casserole / stew with anything other than a knife and fork.

Thats what Ive done, havent cooked a stew for ages but I usually use one lump of steak of some sort and slow cook it down and it just melts into the sauce or gravy

If you can dice it into inch sized cubes, that would be good. Fry off on all sides a few at a time in the pan as the caramelisation provides flavour.

I used to think this, then a friend made a boeuf bourguignon with huge 2 inch cubes of melt in the mouth beef. Best I've ever had.