Slow & Savoury French Onion Beef Casserole

Our Slow & Savoury French Onion Beef Casserole is rich, hearty, and melt-in-your-mouth tender, everything you crave in a winter warmer. With sweet onions, red wine, fresh thyme, and slow-cooked beef, it’s a dish that fills your kitchen with irresistible aromas. For added depth and a flavourful twist, finish with a sprinkle of Avohaven’s Black Forest Seasoning.

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Slow & Savoury French Onion Beef

Ingredients:

1½ tablespoons oil (olive or avocado oil)

1.2kg beef chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 3cm chunks

1 brown onion, thinly sliced into wedges

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

180ml (⅔ cup) red wine

1 x 40g packet French onion soup mix

7 fresh thyme sprigs, plus extra to garnish

1½ tablespoons cornflour

Salt and pepper, to taste

Mashed potatoes, to serve

Sprinkle over Avohaven Black Forest Seasoning just before serving for added savoury depth and a touch of modern magic.

Instructions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan over high heat. Brown half the beef in batches, turning occasionally until golden on all sides (about 8 minutes). Transfer to your slow cooker. Repeat with the remaining beef.

Add the remaining oil to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium, then sauté the onion and carrot for about 5 minutes until softened. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant.

Pour the red wine into the pan and let it simmer for 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly and lift all the flavour from the pan (deglaze the pan). Pour this mixture into the slow cooker.

Add the French onion soup mix, thyme sprigs, and 500ml (2 cups) of water to the slow cooker. Give it a gentle stir, then cover and cook on HIGH for 3 hours 40 minutes or until the beef is tender.

Mix the cornflour with 1½ tablespoons of cold water until smooth, then stir it into the slow cooker. Cover and cook for another 20 minutes on HIGH, or until the sauce thickens and the beef is falling apart. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Spoon the beef over creamy mashed potatoes. Garnish with extra fresh thyme.

Add a final sprinkle of Avohaven Black Forest Seasoning for an earthy, umami finish.

Alternative Cooking Methods:

Pressure Cooker (Electronic/Multi-Cooker): Prefer a quicker version? Follow steps 1–3 above, then transfer everything to your electronic pressure cooker.

Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes.

Do a natural release for 10–15 minutes, then stir through the cornflour slurry.

Switch to sauté mode and cook for an additional 5–10 minutes until the sauce thickens.