Jessica Ransom
Our beef hotpot recipe only has four steps in the method and is easy to batch cook and freeze if you like.
This is an easy meal to prepare in the morning or even the day before. Then you just have to reheat when you’re ready to serve. The Worcestershire sauce is our secret ingredient as just two tablespoons adds so much depth of flavour. You could use a tablespoon of Marmite or miso paste instead if you prefer.
Ingredients
- 1tbsp sunflower oil
- 750 g (1½lb) braising beef, cubed
- 1 onion, chopped
- 2tbsp plain flour
- 600ml (1 pint) beef stock
- 2tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1tbsp tomato purée
- 2tsp English mustard
- 3 sprigs of rosemary
- 125g (4oz) carrots, diced
- 125g (4oz) swede, diced
- 125g (4oz) parsnip, diced
- 700g (1 lb 6 oz) potatoes, thinly sliced
- 25g (1oz) butter
WEIGHT CONVERTER
Method
- Preheat the slow cooker if necessary; see the manufacturer’s handbook. Heat the oil in a frying pan, add the beef a few pieces at a time until all the meat is in the pan, then fry over a high heat, stirring, until browned. Remove the beef from the pan with a slotted spoon and transfer to the slow cooker pot.
- Add the onion to the pan and fry, stirring, for 5 mins or until softened and just beginning to turn golden. Stir in the flour, then gradually mix in the stock. Add the Worcestershire sauce, tomato purée, mustard and leaves from 2 sprigs of the rosemary. Season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil, stirring.
- Add the diced vegetables to the slow cooker pot. Pour the onion and sauce over them, then cover with the potato slices, arranging them so that they overlap and pressing them down into the stock. Sprinkle with the leaves torn from the remaining stem of rosemary and a little salt and pepper.
- Cover with the lid and cook on high for 7–8 hrs until the potatoes and meat are tender. If your slow cooker allows, lift the pot out of the housing using oven gloves. Dot the potatoes with the butter and brown under a preheated hot grill, if liked.
Watch how to make beef hotpot
Top tips for making beef hotpot
Skip the potato topping if you like and serve the hotpot with creamy mashed potatoes or chips instead.
What is a hot pot?
A hot pot is a traditional Chinese cooking process. It’s a big pot filled with ingredients such as meat and veg which are served in a boiling broth.
The hotpot has been adapted in many ways, for example, the British hotpot is more like a stew or casserole and is a one-pot, slow-cooked dish where all the ingredients are cooked at the same time. Topped with sliced potatoes and a generous sprinkling of cheese.
How to make a hot pot in a slow cooker
This step-by-step recipe shows you exactly how to make a hearty hotpot in a slow cooker. Just pre-cook the beef and make up your sauce by following our video recipe and then pop all the ingredients into your slow cooker and leave to cook.
Could you add wine to a beef hotpot?
You can definitely add a glass of red wine to the hotpot. We would recommend adding this in step two just before you add the stock. Let the wine simmer for a couple of minutes first, to cook off some of the alcohol, then proceed as normal.
All of the alcohol will have cooked off by the end of cooking so it’s fine to serve for the whole family.
“Although this is a complete meal in itself, I like to serve beef hotpot with some warm crusty bread as there’s nothing better to mop up the delicious gravy with.”
If you haven’t jumped on the slow cooker bandwagon and want our verdict on the best slow cookers before you invest. Have a read of our thorough reviews.
If you like this ready, try our hearty beef cobbler next. This James Martin beef stew with dumplings is another winter warmer or we have plenty of leftover beef recipes you might like.
