Pre heat your oven to 160°C /140°C fan assisted (gas 3)
Remove your meat from the packaging & pat dry before cooking
Make a mirepoix by neatly chopping equal amounts of onion, carrot and celery or my preferred choice of celeriac, the root of the celery plus a bay leaf & a sprig of thyme
Season the meat with sea salt & cracked black pepper before searing in a little beef dripping or rapeseed oil in a casserole dish over high heat until brown then keep to one side
Next fry the mirepoix until lightly coloured, add half a bottle of red wine, or a favorite local ale and reduce by two thirds then add 300 ml of beef stock, 1 tablespoon tomato paste (optional) and reduce a little, thicken with a tablespoon corn flour mixed with a little cold water and stirred into the boiling broth then add the meat to the casserole
Cover & place in the centre of the oven and cook for 2½ to 3 hours, the meat should be tender when pierced with a skewer
Remove from oven & pass off the juices through a fine sieve into a clean sauce pan and reduce to a rich, glossy gravy then pour back over the meat ready to serve
Serve with buttery mashed potatoes, seasonal greens and hot English mustard.
