Oven diced beef is the batch-cook classic — a covered casserole, tender cubes, and gravy that tastes of proper Sunday cooking. Extra Lean Diced Beef 400g is the lean pack for midweek stews and pies. Shop it in diced beef and beef.
Oven casserole method
Pat the cubes dry and season with salt and pepper. Optionally brown in a hot pan first for deeper colour — lean packs need a little oil so they do not stick. Tip into a casserole with onion, carrot, garlic, a bay leaf, and enough stock (or a splash of ale) to come two-thirds of the way up the meat — not drown it. Cover tightly and cook at 160°C for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring once, until a fork twists easily in a cube (around 90–95°C for soft, stew-tender beef). Uncover for the last 15 to 20 minutes to thicken the gravy if it looks thin. Rest five minutes before serving. Do not rush on high heat — lean diced beef needs time for the fibres to relax, or it stays chewy.
Slow cooker and pan backup
No long oven sit: slow cooker on low 6 to 8 hours with the same aromatics, or a covered pan on a gentle simmer for 1½ to 2 hours. Browse diced beef for pack sizes, and beef for mince and joints beside.
What to serve
Mash, dumplings, or crusty bread to mop the gravy, or cool and fill a pie the next day. Leftover stew freezes well in portions — cool quickly, fridge overnight, then freeze flat. Reheat gently with a splash of stock so the gravy stays silky.
Times above are a guide for home ovens, air fryers and pans — always trust a probe over the clock, and rest meat before you carve so the juices stay in the slice, not on the board. British packs vary a little in thickness, so start checking a few minutes early the first time you cook a new size.
Write your own fridge note the first time you cook a new pack size — home ovens and pans vary, and a two-minute early check beats dry meat. Rest on a warm plate, not a cold board, so the juices stay put when you carve or plate up.
Season boldly, keep a small gap between pieces so heat can circulate, and taste the pan juices before you add more salt — cured and smoked packs already carry seasoning.
Shop the cuts in this guide
How we pack your order
Your order is packed at our butchery at St Stephen, near St Austell, in a double-walled box with a sealed thermal liner and gel ice packs, then delivered by DPD next-day on the day you choose. Free delivery over £85.
Extra strong boxWhite double-walled corrugated cardboard
Thermal linerAir-infused, padded and sealed
Gel ice packsRecyclable film, non-toxic food-grade gel
DPD deliveryOn the day you choose
