
A comforting British classic featuring tender, slow-cooked beef shin in a rich red wine gravy, topped with golden, buttery sliced potatoes. This hearty one-pot meal is the perfect soul-warming dish for chilly evenings.
Place the beef chunks in a large dish, season generously with salt and pepper, and pour over the red wine. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or ideally overnight. When ready to cook, remove the beef and pat it dry with paper towels, reserving the wine for the sauce.
Preheat your oven to 170°C (150°C fan/gas 3). Heat half of the vegetable oil in a large flameproof casserole dish or ovenproof pan over high heat. Brown the beef in batches until each piece has a deep, dark crust, then set aside. Add the remaining oil and 1 tablespoon of butter to the pan.
Sauté the sliced onions for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes more, then add the carrots and swede, cooking for a further 2 minutes to soften slightly.
Stir in the flour and cook for about 2 minutes until it forms a sandy paste. Mix in the tomato purée and cook for another 3 minutes. Gradually pour in the reserved red wine, stirring constantly to ensure a smooth consistency. Add the beef stock and bouquet garni, then bring the mixture to a boil.
Cover the casserole dish with a tight-fitting lid and bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes. While the stew is cooking, prepare the potatoes by tossing the slices in a bowl with a good pinch of salt, the thyme leaves, and the remaining melted butter.
After 1 hour 30 minutes, remove the stew from the oven. If the dish is too deep, transfer the stew to a shallower ovenproof dish so the potatoes will sit right at the top. Arrange the potato slices in tight, overlapping concentric circles and drizzle with any leftover butter from the bowl.
Increase the oven temperature to 200°C (180°C fan/gas 6). Return the hotpot to the oven, uncovered, and cook for 1 hour until the potatoes are tender and crisp at the edges. For an extra-crunchy finish, turn on the grill for the last few minutes. Let the dish stand for 10 minutes before serving with extra thyme scattered on top.
For the best results, use a full-bodied red wine like Malbec or Cabernet Sauvignon. Beef shin is the ideal cut for this recipe as the connective tissue breaks down into a rich, gelatinous sauce during the long braise. If you don't have a bouquet garni, a bundle of fresh parsley, thyme, and a bay leaf tied with kitchen string works perfectly.





