Slow cooking is the perfect way to bring out the best in the less tender cuts of beef. With a slow cooker, you can prepare a really tasty yet healthy meal – they don’t necessarily require any oil, and you can pop in plenty of fresh vegetables, fragrant herbs and lean meat. The long cooking time results in the texture of the beef becoming softer and more tender. And by using a low cooking temperature, you’ll have more freedom in when you want to eat. It’s tricky to overcook or burn food in a slow cooker so it can stay hot until you’re ready to eat.

Why not try slowing things down in your kitchen today?

Braising and pot-roasting
This works well with cuts such as small, lean joints of topside or silverside and blade or chuck steak (look for some marbling of fat throughout), but rolled brisket has the best flavour of all.

The meat is usually floured and fried all over first to sear and brown it, then set on a bed of vegetables and herbs with enough liquid just to cover. The casserole dish is covered and the meat cooks in the gentle moist heat of the scented steam, absorbing the flavours from the herbs and vegetables and giving its own flavours into the cooking juices, which makes a delicious sauce when the beef is served. Allow 2 to 3 hours in the oven at 160ºC/325ºF/Gas mark 3 or use a slow cooker and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

Stewing or casseroling
Warming, nourishing and full of appetising aromas, which develop during the long cooking time, some of the most famous beef dishes are based on stewing or casseroling recipes.

For Boeuf Bourguignon (cooked in red wine), Boeuf Gardien (from the south of France and cooked in white wine), Hungarian Goulash (rich in colour with a spicy hint of sweet paprika), Carbonade of beef (a Flemish dish cooked with beer), and even Steak & Kidney pie, you’ll find that shin and leg of beef, chuck and blade, neck and clod, skirt and flank are all suitable.

Corning
Brisket, silverside and rump, in one piece, are all suitable for making corned beef. It’s quite easy to do at home provided you have a nice large earthenware crock or other suitable non-metal container.

Water, salt, sugar, bay leaves, peppercorns, mixed pickling spices and garlic make a bath into which the meat is immersed and weighted down for at least 36 hours. It can then be braised or boiled. Try mixing any leftovers with potatoes to make a simple corn beef hash.