Beef and Vegetable Hotpot

A classic winter dish, this slow cooker beef and vegetable hot pot will feed any hungry mouth and is a sure fire way to warm you up. This slow cooker beef and vegetable hotpot recipe has all the measurements in grams and millilitres for UK measures.

Contents

• Introduction to slow cooker beef stew
• Ingredients for beef vegetable hotpot
• Hints & Tips for Success
• Serving suggestions for beef stew
• Variations of hotpot dishes
• The Recipe
• Serving Suggestions
• Your Comments

Introduction to slow cooker beef stew

A truly filling and warming dish, the slow cooker beef and vegetable stew will help keep you warm and full no matter what time of year. This is also such a quick and easy dish to prepare. This is one of my favourite slow cooker recipes because it means there is a hearty meal ready to eat when I come in from work. It takes little preparation either that morning or the night before.

It is a simple 3 step process, prep the beef, put it all in the slow cooker and then leave it to cook. I think the most time consuming part is the beef browning.

Getting the dish prepared is really easy. Even the clean up part is easy if you use a slow cooker liner. These make cooking in a slow cooker mess free, as the bag can be lifted out at the end (pouring on any spare gravy left in the bottom first!) and then be thrown away.

Ingredients for beef vegetable hotpot

Simple ingredients go into this dish. Meat, veg and cooking stock.

• Meat - For convenience I would recommend diced beef. It can be a cheaper cut of beef as it will be slow cooking and therefore tenderising over time.
• Vegetables - In this recipe I suggest a pre-prepared back for ease, but there are lots of hotpot vegetables about. Carrots, Leek, Onion, Turnip, Parsnip, Potato. Mostly root vegetables I'm recommending and these will give a winter warming flavour.
• Stock - Pre make stock cubes to which you just add boiling water is absolutely fine. I like to use any supermarkets own brand cube and make it up to 230ml (½ pint) of stock using boiling water. If you are feeling posh you can always use the Knorr stock pots.

Hints & Tips for Success

Beef and vegetable slow cooker hot pot recipe tips

So aside from getting the slow cooker liner in your slow cooker, what other tips can I give you? Well if you want the beef to taste really tender and succulent, try this one for size.

Before browning off the beef, prep the frying pan by spraying it with a quality low calorie cooking spray and leaving it for a minute or two to heat up on a medium low heat. Then once the pan is at temperature, drop the beef in but do not move it about. Just make sure it is not piled up, and that it sits in the pan evenly. Then let it brown.

Don't be tempted to stir the beef around. Just let it sit there and brown. Then about 2 - 3 minutes in, turn each piece over so it gets the other side. Then when the majority is browned after about 5 - 7 minutes, it is ready to go in to the slow cooker.

By not touching the beef and leaving it to cook the moisture remains in the beef and tastes so much more tender in the long run.

For less fuss in the morning

The beef can be prepared the night before if you want, and then put in the fridge over night. Then put everything in the slow cooker in the morning before work and switch on and leave it for the day.

All we need now is a stock pot and a bag of pre prepared vegetables. You can of course use any veg you wish and it doesn't need to be pre prepared. Fresh veg chopped up works just as well. For convenience though, I use the pre packaged vegetables like these:

Then all I need to do is put the beef and the vegetables in the slow cooker, along with my stock. For my stock, I like to use a half pint of boiling water with a Knorr Beef Stock pot dissolved into it. This makes for a tasty stock and is really convenient to cook with.

That is it. Once they are all in the slow cooker, switch it on and leave it be. It will take up to 8 hours on a high heat but you can leave it for longer on a low. I always recommend a stir of the sauce about one hour before you are due to serve it up and add a spoonful of gravy granules just for added thickness.

Serving suggestions for beef stew

This dish is best served with a nice crusty piece of bread or even a soft white roll. Try making some of your own using my fluffy soft white bread recipe. This with some butter is a tasty treat for a filling meal.

The benefits of stewing beef are that it is a versatile ingredient that can be quite cheap to get hold of but is bursting with flavour and packed with nutrients when cooked in the slow cooker.

Variations of hotpot dishes

Classic Burgers and Exquisite Pasta Sauces

Stewing beef, diced beef, stewing steak - whatever you want to name it incredibly versatile and can be used in a variety of recipes. If you mince it up, it can be shaped it into beef patties, meatballs, or even stuffing for peppers or mushrooms. With beef mince, there are endless possibilities ensuring that you'll never get bored in the kitchen.

Rich in Essential Nutrients for a Balanced Diet

When it comes to nutrition, beef doesn't disappoint. Packed with essential nutrients, it provides the body with a wide range of benefits. Beef mince is an excellent source of high-quality protein, which is essential for muscle growth, repair, and overall health. It is also a great source of iron, zinc, and B-vitamins, all of which play vital roles in maintaining energy levels, supporting brain function, and boosting the immune system.

I prefer to go for a less than 5% fat mince for a healthier option. However if cooking on a skillet or BBQ you may want to go for the 10% - 12% fat content so that the beef doesn't stick.

Budget-Friendly Choice Without Compromising Taste

Diced beef is not only delicious but can be an affordable option for those looking to make the most of their budget if you get the right types. You'll always pay for quality when it comes to meat, but a stewing beef or a cheaper cut can be used if put in a slow cooker hot pot dish such as this one.

Stewing beef allows you to create hearty and satisfying meals without breaking the bank and a slow cooker hot pot dish offers excellent value for money. When slow cooking, the pot will hold a lot of moisture which the meat will absorb and the flavours stay locked in.

Slow Cooker Hot Pot Dishes, Prepare. Leave.

In the modern world we rush too much and time is a precious commodity. While I don't necessarily think this is a good thing, sometimes it is just how it is. A slow cooker beef hot pot dish can be thrown together in the morning and ready to eat when you get back from work. This makes it ideal for families or people with busy lifestyles.

This worked well when my family was younger and arrived home at different times. There was always a meal to quickly serve up without needing to cook separate dishes.

The Recipe

Serving Suggestions

Try this dish with these breads - cut into thick slices and buttered with a disgustingly thick amount of butter.