Hearty and delicious beef stew tops list of comfort foods

When you think of your favourite comfort foods, what comes to mind? We know a hearty beef stew is very likely to be at the top of many people’s lists.

But, cautions chef Katleho Malete: “Don’t rush the process by boiling the beef; cook it slow and on a low heat so that you don’t strip away the flavour of the meat.”  

The 27-year-old junior sous chef at the Meropa Casino and Entertainment World in Polokwane, Limpopo, says: “Don’t simply boil the beef cubes and only add the beef stock at the end, otherwise you will lose all the flavour of the beef in the water.”  

To make the perfect beef stew, Malete advises: “Seal the meat first to reduce the cooking time and bring out the beef’s flavour.  

“To seal the meat, add oil in a pan and brown your beef cubes on medium to high heat. You want a rich brown colour to your stew, and this stage breaks down the meat fibres and softens it for cooking.  

“When they see the plate that you created for them, they are blown away by it. I enjoy putting smiles on people’s faces.”

Malete holds a professional cookery and culinary arts qualification and a trade-chef qualification from the Limpopo Chef Academy.  

He started his practical training in the kitchens of the Meropa Casino and Entertainment World in 2018, returned as a commis chef in 2022 and worked his way up to become a junior sous chef.  

“Growing up I wanted to become a nurse, but at the back of my head, I was passionate about cooking,” he says. “I was not considering getting into culinary or hospitality until I realised that food was my calling. I excelled at culinary school and I knew this was where I was supposed to be.”  

Growing up, Malete’s passion for cooking was inspired by his mother and aunt, who he believes are the best cooks in the world.  

“The first dish I made – with some assistance from my mom at age 12 – was a chicken curry for Sunday lunch,” he recalls. “We would wake up early Sunday morning, prepare lunch dishes and go to church. My mom says it was delicious.”

Here is Malete’s recipe. 

Hearty beef stew 

Ingredients 

• 1.5kg stewing beef 
• 1/2 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tsp black pepper 
• 50ml cooking oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 30g flour 
• 4 cloves crushed garlic
• tomato paste
• 3 tbsp butter 
• 1.2l boiling water
• 3 Knorrox beef stock cubes
• 1 large carrot
• 2 sticks celery
• 250ml red wine 
• 30g BBQ spice 
• 3 bay leaves 
• 3-4 sprigs of thyme or rosemary

Method 

• Heat the oil in a pot. Season the meat with salt, pepper and BBQ spice. 
• Coat the meat in the flour and fry in the pan.
• Seal the meat by browning it on all sides. Do this in batches.
• Remove the meat and keep it aside.
• In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, and celery and fry for two minutes.
• Add the garlic and tomato paste and cook for one minute.
• Return the meat to the pot and stir to combine all the ingredients.
• Gently pour in the red wine to deglaze the pan and cook out the alcohol on a medium to high heat.
• Dissolve the beef stock cubes in boiling water.  Gently pour into the pot.
• Add 3-4 sprigs of fresh thyme or rosemary and the bay leaves to the pot.
• Reduce the heat and simmer for one-and-a-half hours.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary.
• Once the broth has reduced, add butter to give the dish a silky and smooth consistency.
• Garnish with freshly chopped parsley.
• Serve with your desired starch or creamy mashed potatoes, rustic veggies or savoury rice and enjoy. ‎