Extra lean diced beef is the stew and chilli pack when you want protein without a heavy fat cap. Extra Lean Diced Beef 400g is the midweek pot; Beef Chuck 1.5kg is the bigger joint when you want to dice your own or cook whole. Shop dice in diced beef and long cooks in slow cooker meat.
Slow cooker method
Brown the dice in a hot pan first — lean packs need a teaspoon of oil and space so they colour instead of steam. Soft onion and garlic, then tip everything into the slow cooker with stock, tomato, or a splash of wine. Low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4, until the cubes yield easily to a fork. Season at the end; early salt can tighten lean meat. If the sauce is thin, lid off on high for the last 30 minutes or thicken with a spoon of cornflour slurry.
Oven stew and batch tips
Oven: covered casserole at 160°C for 2 to 2.5 hours after browning. Two 400g packs fill a family pot; freeze leftovers in meal portions. Chuck joint can be cubed at home for a richer stew when you want more collagen. Browse lean meat when you are building a high-protein shop, and slow cooker meat for brisket and shoulder on other days.
What to serve
Mash, rice, dumplings, or a baked potato. A sharp pickle cuts through the gravy. Keep a 400g pack in the freezer for throw-together stew nights.
Times above are a guide for home ovens and fryers — 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, then write your own note on the fridge.
Times above are a guide for home ovens and fryers — 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, then write your own note on the fridge.