Beef Casserole

Beef Casserole

1 tablespoon olive oil (or other fat)
1 onion, diced
3 clove garlic, crushed
2 rashers of bacon, diced
500 grams casserole steak, cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper
1 small sweet potato (about 300 grams), diced
3 carrots, sliced or diced
1 cup peas
1 cup chopped celery, sliced thinly
1/3 cup pearl barley (if you don't have this just leave it out)
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons bisto (gravy) powder, or cornflour
3 cups beef stock

Preheat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.

Fry the onion, garlic and bacon until cooked and soft. Remove from the heat and place the mixture in a large casserole dish (at least 2.5 litres).

Chop the beef into bite-sized pieces. Mix the flour in a bowl with salt and pepper, then toss the meat in the flour.

Heat the pan again and cook the beef until it is brown on all sides. Add to the casserole dish.

Add the sweet potato, carrot, peas and barley to the casserole dish and give it all a stir until it is quite well mixed. Add everything else over the top and give it another stir.

Put the lid on the casserole dish and place in the oven.

Let it cook for about 2 or 3 hours, until the meat is tender.