I want to make a beef casserole/stew thing

[BertieBotts]

I have some beef casserole steak and want to do it in the oven, but not sure what to add?

I have (just adding anything which might be vaguely relevant here):

Carrots
Onions
Potatoes
No beef stock cubes, but chicken or vegetable, or Bisto gravy granules. Also marmite and soy sauce (vegetable stock + soy sauce is a cheat I've used before to make it taste "meaty")
Various dried herbs
Garlic
Frozen sweetcorn (? This would be horrible, wouldn't it?)
Tinned tomatoes (I have a feeling DP would not be impressed - he isn't a fan)
Mustard - wholegrain or french
Bacon
Tinned potatoes (yuck - but might be okay cooked into something?)
Tinned mixed beans (includes sweetcorn though)
Red lentils (have never cooked these before, just bought them on a vague whim that they bulk up food)
Soup & broth mix (various dried pulses etc)
Wine - red which has been open for months and is probably horrible, and white which is only a few weeks old.

Can anyone help me decide which bits to put in? And how long to cook for, how much liquid etc. I failed on the liquid part last time I used the slow cooker. I'm going to do it in the oven today anyway since I don't have time for the SC and the beef needs eating ASAP.

Could potentially go to corner shop for extra ingredients but would prefer not to, as we're on a budget. Will probably serve either with rice or baked/mashed potatoes.

TIA :)

I would ditch the sweetcorn, tinned toms, mustard, anywy, this is what I'd do with what you have.

brown the onion, bit of garlic, bacon, throw in halved carrots, coat beef in seasoned flour, add that with the stock of choice, probably the veg one, do you have three tbsp tom puree? I'd be adding thiss too now. Yu could chance the wine. Then add potatoes, big cubes, lentils if you like. pint of stock if in the oven. cook for 3 hours on v low heat or the beef will be too tough.

Ooh those suggestions are brill, thank you.

I don't have tomato puree but could add juice from tinned tomatoes? Though wouldn't help to thicken it up.

So I just add flour in the frying pan - is this the best way to stop it going lumpy?

When you say low, how low? I have a gas oven. It's really crap. We cook everything at GM8 because it takes hours otherwise. So maybe GM4?

Tom sauce would be ok, as you at the juice isn't really think enought but I forgot to say you bring it to the boil before adding to the casserole dish so that helps ( unless you have ironware that can go onto direct heat, that is!)

I season flour in a sandwich bag then toss the beef around in that, you only want a light covering.

I have an electric oven, but the equiv. to 125 - ish, certainly not high for a long cook.

as you say & thick enough!

I could put tomato ketchup in? I don't like it so never use it in things but it would be a tomatoey flavour.

Isn't the flour to thicken up the liquid part?

Really hungry now! :)

Yeah, it does the same sort of thing really.

yes, that's what the flour is for, it's just how I do things.

Just to add, Jamie Olive has tested browning the beef against not and decided not frying gives it a 'cleaner' flavour. I made oe of his stews last week and I'll never brown beef again!

Oliver

Not getting the hang of my new lappy keyboard, am I.