A hearty beef stew

The Wonderbag has been on the tip of our tongues lately, and rightly so, our new friend is pretty terrific. Now that you know what a Wonderbag is and how it works, it’s time to learn what to cook in it. We made this delicious, hearty beef stew, a great winter warmer, so keep it in your fold.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp oil, for frying
850 g stewing beef, cubed
½ cup seasoned flour, for coating the beef
2 celery sticks, thickly sliced
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled halved lengthways and sliced
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 bay leaves
3 sprigs thyme
2 Tbsp plain flour
2 Tbsp beef stock
1 Tbsp honey
2 tins tomatoes (peeled), chopped
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper, to season
Fresh parsley, chopped, to serve

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large, heavy based pot over a high heat. Coat the beef pieces in seasoned flour and fry, in batches, for 3–5 minutes or until browned. Set aside.
2. Add celery, onions and carrots to the pot and fry for a few minutes to soften. Add the remaining ingredients and seared beef and bring to the boil.
3. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, covered for 15 minutes.
4. Cover with a heavy or tight fitting lid, and remove from the stove top and place the lidded pot into the Wonderbag and seal up for a minimum of 4 hours (this can easily be left for the day while you are at work since it’s not connected to any power outlet).

5. After several hours, the meat should be tender. If the sauce is still watery, pop the pot back onto the stove and bring to the boil before adding a few tablespoons of corn flour paste to thicken before serving and season to taste. Heat through over a medium heat again if need be. Serve hot with chopped parsley to garnish.

Pretty nifty, hey? And yet, so simple.

One of our favourite things about the Wonderbag? You can empower others by donating an electricity-free slow cooker to underprivileged homes across Africa. Wonderful, indeed.