Serves 4-6 people
Marinating time: 5hrs-overnight
Cooking time: 2-3hrs
Ingredients
- 2kg beef joint (toprump/topside – doesn’t need to be an expensive cut)
- 2tbsp olive oil
- 250ml apple cider vinegar
- 50g smoked bacon lardons
- 3 medium onions, chopped in 8ths
- 2 cloves of garlic, chopped roughly
- 3 sticks of celery, sliced
- 3 carrots, sliced
- 750ml red dessert wine
- 2 braeburn apples, chopped in 8ths
- 8 prunes, chopped in half
- 3 tomatoes, sliced OR 20g puree
- 1 thyme sprig
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 2 bay leaves
Method
- Cut slits in the beed and insert the lardons throughout.
- Put it in a dish you can cover with a lid or clingfilm and pour over the oil and vinegar.
- Leave to marinate for at least 5hrs but overnight if you can.
- Remove the beef from the fridge 20mins before you cook it.
- Heat a large casserole/soup pot on the hob on a high heat and brown the beef on all sides
- Remove the meat, lower the heat and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery until they start to soften
- Return the meat to the dish and pour in the wine.
- bring to a boil and then turn down to a simmer. Cook covered for an hour-90mins.
- Add the apples, prunes, tomatoes and herbs. You can also add a splash of water at this point if you feel it needs.
- Cover again and simmer for another hour.
- Remove the meat, frut and veg and keep them warm on a serving dish, and let the sauce reduce to your liking.
- While the sauce is thickening, cook your gnocchi or mashed potatoes.
- Slice the beef and serve with some of the fruit and veg, your side dish and pour over the sauce.