Ingredients

• 2kg/4lb 8oz shin of beef
• 50g/1¾oz plain flour
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 tbsp vegetable oil
• 10 small shallots
• peeled
• 6 sticks celery
• roughly sliced
• 8 carrots
• roughly chopped
• 25g/1oz dried wild porcini mushrooms
• 600ml/1 pint red wine or stout
• 300ml/½ pint beef stock
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 500g/1lb 2oz button mushrooms
• 2 tbsp redcurrant jelly
• mash
• to serve

Directions

• Cut the beef into 2.5cm/1in chunks and trim off any excess fat. Place the flour on a plate or in a plastic bag with plenty of salt and black pepper and toss the meat in it until well coated.
• Heat the oil in a large flameproof casserole and add the beef. Fry until browned on all sides - you may need to do this in batches
• as you don’t want to over-crowd the pan. It is important to brown the beef and not stew it.
• Remove the meat from the pan using a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the shallots
• celery and carrots to the pan and fry for five minutes
• or until softened a little.
• Meanwhile
• soak the mushrooms in a bowl in 300ml/½ pint boiling water until softened. Drain
• reserving the soaking liquid and chop the mushrooms into smaller pieces.
• Return the meat to the pan and add the red wine or stout. Bring to the boil for 4-5 minutes
• or until the volume of liquid has reduced by about a third. Add the stock
• soaked mushrooms and their soaking liquid and the thyme.
• Bring to the boil and then cover and simmer on a low heat for about 2½ hours
• or until tender. If you prefer you can cook it in a preheated oven at 150C/300F/Gas 3 (130 fan) for the same time.
• Add the button mushrooms and the redcurrant jelly and cook for a further 30 minutes. Serve with mash.