20 November 2013

* Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Hotpot

Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Hotpot Recipe
On Sunday we decided to steal a march on the Christmas shoppers and not go Christmas shopping at all. Read it again. It makes complete sense.

Instead, we decided to see if we could hunt down the perfect flooring for our bedroom - which we are in the midst of decorating - from a wood floor specialists in town.

I didn't want to have to muck about sorting a dinner out when we got home, so for the very first time I loaded up the slow cooker and... left the house...

... I never, ever, do this. Not with anything. Not the dishwasher, not the washing machine, the dryer...  nothing. Stuff happens when I'm not in the house. Things flood, break, block up, fall over, fall off, seize up, singe... leaving the slow cooker on was a real risk. REAL. RISK. I walked super fast through town to get to the shop, ran around the shop dismissing all but one type of flooring, asked for a sample and was handed a whole plank of wood... a whole plank of wood... who does that?!?... then literally ran through the high street home, leaving the plank of wood in a passing bin because it was just too random, even for me.

When I fell in the back door a couple of hours after I'd left.. with Neil following at a leisurely "What is wrong with you, woman?" pace behind me... my Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Hotpot was very gently bubbling away, minding it's own business. The dog was guarding the floor space directly in front of the kitchen counter that it was sitting on - just in case it happened to explode and leave the kitchen covered in minced beef and vegetables - ready to perform clean up duty... and the cat was sitting on the shed roof wondering where we'd been and what was all the fuss about?

Our flooring hunt might have been a dead bust, but dinner certainly wasn't.

The poor dog was disappointed, yet again.

This recipe is linked up on Foodie Friday at Simple Living and Eating, so please pop over and see what other wonderful recipes you can find!

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Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Hotpot Recipe

Serves 4

Prep time - 10 minutes
Cooking time - 4 hours 10 minutes
Total time - 4 hrs 20 minutes

You will need
A slow cooker
A large non stick frying pan/skillet

Ingredients
1lb or 500g minced beef
1 large onion - peeled and chopped
4 medium carrots - peeled and chopped (or thickly sliced)
1lb or 500g potatoes - chopped (I don't peel mine but you can if you choose)
2 tbsps tomato puree/paste
2 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
14fl oz/400ml beef stock (or 7fl oz/200ml beef stock and 7fl oz/200ml Guinness)
salt
pepper
14oz/400g can baked beans (I use Heinz)
small bunch flat leaf parsley - chopped

Method
  • Place the minced beef in the pan and cook until browned, about 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the onion, carrots, potatoes, tomato puree, Worcestershire sauce and beef stock.
  • Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer.
  • Pour the beef into the slow cooker and cook for 4 hours on MEDIUM.
  • Stir in the baked beans and cook until warmed through - about 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the chopped parsley, reserving some for garnish.
  • Serve with slices of fresh, warm bloomer loaf and/or green veg.

EAT

Slow Cooker Beef and Bean Hotpot Recipe

Adapted for slow cooker from Good Food Magazine

20 comments :

  1. Lol..!! I've never left the house with the slow cooker on. I think I would react in the same way! ^.^

    Yummy post, Abbe. I know what to do with my can of baked beans today xx ;)

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    1. Thanks, Sharon! This is one of Neil's favourites ;-) x

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  2. Looks so tasty! I like that it has a lot of vegetables.

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    1. Thank you, Dan :D I sometimes bung a load of celery and swede in with it too - but it can get a bit much ;-)

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  3. Two of my favorite savory ingredients, beans and beef, combined in the same dish...I want a big bowl of it!

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    Replies
    1. Thanks, Denise - I shall put some in the post ;-) x

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  4. I love a great slow cooker recipe, and this looks Fall ready! Delicious!

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    1. Thank you, Pamela! The Slow Cooker is a fairly recent (in the last 6 months) purchase for me, so I'm still learning my way around it :)

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  5. I've always been afraid to leave the house with an appliance on as well. that's probably one of the reasons I got rid of my Crockpot years ago. So now I slow cook on the stovetop and I don't leave the house on those days. I love this dish and can see still making it on the stovetop. It looks delicious!

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    1. MJ - This started out as a stove top recipe! The only reason I even attempted it in my Crockpot was sheer laziness ;-) I got brave and left the house with the washing machine running this morning - I didn't have to swim through the front door when I got home, but that's as brave as I get for one year. Next year I may try using the dryer when I take the dog out for a walk ;-)

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  6. I don't have a slow cooker but if I did, I think I would be like you! I will however keep my hands on this recipe. It sounds superb!

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  7. You are so funny, my stepfather used to get so nervous if my mom left the clothes dryer on and went out for a while… I never heard of fire starting from a slow cooker, but I have heard of it happening from a dryer. Well, the beans in the stew are brilliant. I am pinning this and trying it soon. It is freezing here in NY. Thanks for coming to foodie friday.

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    1. I'm glad you like the recipe, thank you! It's getting really cold here too, Diane - though I doubt we're as low as NY temps. Definite slow cooker weather - I've never heard of a slow cooker starting a fire either, but if it can happen to anyone... it will happen to me ;-)

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  8. Just wanted you to know that your recipe is being featured today on foodie friday. Stop by and get your featured button and thanks again for being part of the party.

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  9. I love this beautiful dish, Abbe, and the photography is exceptional. I am the same way you are. Nothing is running when I leave the house and we have had some minor fires while away - the fridge, the hot tub, the stereo system wired through the walls. All small fires that fizzled out but scared the heck out of me! Such is life I suppose but funny enough I've been considering a slow cooker lately. Maybe if I just use it while I'm home at first, lol.
    Thanks for the inspiration. You have a new follower. Love your beautiful blog.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for the lovely comment, Robyn! I'm finding that with time, my slow cooker is becoming invaluable - I would recommend one to anyone willing to sit still long enough to listen ;-)

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  10. All these comments have made me chuckle - i remember discussing this with my mom once, and her take was that she had no problem leaving the house with appliances running because she felt if something was going to catch fire she didn't want to be around when it happened. it takes all kinds, i guess. anyway, i am going to print out this recipe - i have a can of beans in my cupboard which has been there for a VERY long time, and this will be a way to use it up. Thanks! -Bob

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    1. I hope you enjoy it, Bob - slow cooker recipes are fab ways to use up that world war II tin of beans ;-)

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Thanks for dropping in to read my recipes (and ramblings). I love it when you let me know what you think - so please leave a comment and I promise to take the time to reply!

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