Munns's Munchies Beef Hotpot with Mushrooms (Slow Cooker)

There is a cooler snap forecast so what better then a warming tasty Hotpot, It is simple and cooked in a slow cooker so you can use cheaper cuts of meat and use any unused veggies in the fridge. Leave it all day long for a good old fashioned meal, especially with fresh crusty bread.

            INGREDIENTS

Meat and Veggies:  500-600grms beef:  shin of beef or chuck steak. 2 med potatoes: 2 med onions: 3 x 12cm sticks celery: 3 large carrots:  200grms button mushrooms:

Seasoning etc:  Paprika: Garlic Powder: Worcestershire Sauce: Black Pepper: Sea Salt: 2 Beef Stock Cubes: 1 Sachet Tomato Paste (concentrated). Soy Sauce.

Extras:  Plain Flour: Olive Oil: Port 150mls (or to taste)  or Red Wine 300mls or to taste

Serve with: Steamed Cauliflower and Broccoli: Fresh Crusty Bread:

METHOD

Peel and cube potatoes, onions, carrots, and celery.  I like about 2cm cubes for chunky style.

Place in base of slow cooker.

Remove any excess fat from meat and cube, (same size as veggies). Place in large mixing bowl. Sprinkle meat with olive oil just enough to coat the cubes. Coat meat with a generous sprinkle of paprika, add garlic powder and black pepper to taste. Mix well.                         Coat meat and spices with about 2 – 3 tablespoons of plain flour.  Mix well until all flour is on meat. Pour in Port or Red Wine and allow to marinate. (overnight is best).

Place stock cubes in mug and add boiling water. Mix until fully dissolved. Add Tomato paste and re mix. Add about half the mushrooms to veggies in cooker and mix in.

Add a generous shake of Worcestershire sauce. (About 6 good shakes is Ok for me) and a short dash of Soy Sauce. Grind over sea salt and black pepper to taste and mix with veggies and stock liquid.

Mix remainder of mushrooms with cubed meat in bowl. Add meat and its liquid to veggies.

Then add about 1-2 mugs of hot water.  Just to cover the veggies and meat.

Put lid on slow cooker and leave on No 1 (slowest) for minimum 6 hours. (8 -9 hrs will do no harm) Stir after 4 -5 hours to mix all ingredients.

Stir mixture, 30 minutes prior to service. Lets gravy thicken and mix all ingredients.

Steam off some cauliflower and broccoli serve with a little melted butter in separate dish.

Crusty bread is a great addition to mop up all that port/wine gravy.

I often leave all this to cool overnight then divide up (and freeze) leaving a good serving to reheat, it tastes even better.

Can be divided into serves and frozen for a great lunch or another meal. Enjoy with a glass of red, or two. I haven’t tried it but am sure with care this would work in a camp oven.

Enjoy