beef

Cowboy stew is a perennial of the American Old West originating from Texas. This is a delicious and hearty stew that you can enjoy whether you're on the trail or at home.

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Ingredients - 1 brown onion, chopped - 2 chillis, sliced - 6 slices bacon, thick cut - 250g keilbasa, kransky or other continental sausage, cut into 1/2 to 1 inch slices - 500g minced beef - 3 garlic cloves or equivalent - 3 tablespoons white flour - 1 tablespoon cummin - 1 tablespoon chilli powder - 1 teaspoon salt - 1 teaspoon black pepper - 500ml liquid chicken stock - 500g ranch-style or chili beans with liquid - 500g sweet corn, drained - 500g diced tomatoes - chopped parsley for garnish - optional: cornbread for the side

Instructions 1. In a heavy cast iron pot, cook the bacon over medium heat until it begins to crisp and brown (5 to 7 minutes). 2. Add the sausage and cook further until it begins to brown. 3. Add the beef, onions, chillis and garlic, and continue to cook until the beef begins to brown. 4. Add the flour, cummin, chilli power or flakes, fresh chillis, salt and pepper, and cook until the flour begins to crisp. 5. Add the chicken stock, beans, diced tomatoes and corn. Increase to a high heat until the stew begins to boil. 6. Reduce to a simmer, put the lid on, and cook for an hour. 7. Serve in a bowl with parsley garnish. Optionally pair with cornbread or some other good bread.

Servings Four

Storage Keep the soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 48 hours.

The humble Cottage Pie is a perennial of economical cooking dating from the 18th century in Ireland and Great Britain. Made from easily sourced ingredients and easy to prepare, it fed laborers and peasant farmers on a budget. For a traditional Shepherd's Pie, use lamb instead of beef.

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Ingredients - 1 brown onion, chopped - 1 kg mashed potato (see below) - 500 g beef mince - 500 g mixed vegetables (such as carrots, peas, corn, celery) - 500 ml beef stock - 2 tablespoons plain flour - 1 tablespoon tomato paste - 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce - butter or oil for cooking

Instructions 1. Heat oil or butter in pan on medium-high heat. 2. Add vegetables and chopped onion and cook for 5 minutes. 3. Add mince, mix together with vegetables, and cook for another 5 minutes. 4. Add the flour, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, and beef stock. Stir thoroughly. 5. Bring to a boil, then reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 30 minutes. 6. Meanwhile, pre-heat over to 200 C. If you intend to make your own mashed potatoes, follow the steps below now. 7. Once the beef sauce is cooked, spoon it into an oven dish, then cover it with the mashed potato. Bake for 20 minutes. 8. Serve immediately.

Mashed potato Mashed potato can be bought pre-made or as a powder. Alternatively, you can make it yourself for a truly authentic meal. Take 800 grams potatoes, cook in salted boiling water for 15 minutes, drain, return to pan and add 40 grams butter and mash with a potato masher or fork. Add 125 ml milk and stir until combined.

Servings Four.

Storage Keep the soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 48 hours.

This easy to make recipe for beef and potato soup with green beans is a great example of peasant food from Central Europe, especially Germany and Austria. Known as Grüne Bohnensuppe, it's a functional and seasonal meal which serves as a great winter warmer.

In rural German farming communities, the soup was designed to utilise whatever was fresh in the home garden during the late summer and early autumn harvest. Because it was peasant food, the baseline ingredients were cheap, carbohydrate-dense, and easily accessible.

The base is green beans paired with potatoes and onions. For protein, farmers would throw in scraps of smoked bacon (Speck), ham hocks, or leftover beef chunks that were available to give the broth depth and fat.

In this recipe, we'll be using casserole beef, which is cheap and commonly available from supermarkets, along with thyme and peppercorns for additional flavour.

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Ingredients - 1 kg braising or casserole beef - 2 onions, chopped - 1 litre vegetable stock - 2 large potatoes (or several smaller ones), peeled and diced - 500 g green beans, trimmed and cut into small pieces - 2-3 sprigs of thyme - salt and pepper - cooking oil - (optional) parsley - (optional) dark bread such as rye

Instructions 1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the beef and season with salt and pepper. 2. Cook until the beef begins to brown then add the onions and cook until the onions begin to soften. 3. Add the thyme and stock. Bring to a boil, then simmer over medium heat for 40 minutes. 4. Add the potatoes, bring back to the boil, then cook for a further 15 minutes. 5. Add the green beans and cook for a further 5 minutes.

Serving Dish the soup into a bowl and sprinkle with parsley. Serve with a dark bread such as rye.

Servings Four.

Storage Keep the soup in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 48 hours.

The Reuben sandwich is a classic of American deli culture. It's origins are controversial with multiple claims relating to its creation, however in 1956, Fern Snider, a chef working at the Blackstone Hotel in Omaha, Nebraska, entered her Reuben recipe into the National Sandwich Idea Contest, taking the first prize and winning a car. This is the recipe which formalised the Reuben as we know it today.

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Ingredients 2 slices good quality bread such as rye or wholemeal 2 slices good quality sliced cheese, ideally Swiss 1 large slice corned beef 1 tablespoon sauerkraut Russian dressing optional

Instructions 1. Butter the bread, then place the cheese, corned beef and sauerkraut. 2. Heat a frying pan to medium-high heat and add butter or cooking oil. 3. Place the sandwich in the pan. Cook on medium heat until the bread is toasted, then turn over and repeat on the other side. 4. Cook until the contents of the sandwich are warm and the cheese is melting. 5. Remove from the pan, slice in half, and eat.

Airfryer method Prepare sandwich as above then cook in airfryer at 200C (390F) for five minutes.

Servings One

Storage Eat immediately.