When a bowl of flavourful warmth is what’s needed, it’s hard to go wrong with Beef and Noodles. Tender beef that falls apart, flavourful broth and satisfying noodles come together to make something very comforting and delicious.
Making Beef and Noodles is no difficult task, though it does need some time to stew slowly for the most tender beef. It’s the kind of thing you can walk away from for a while as it does all the work and then come back to it when you’re ready to enjoy it.
Serves 4
I’ve specified Light Soy Sauce here because it’s a bit saltier than regular soy sauce, but you can absolutely substitute any soy sauce you have here. Just keep in mind that you might want to add a little more soy sauce or salt if it’s tasting bland, but you can easily adjust that yourself. Let’s get started!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons plain flour
- Salt & pepper
- 400g braising steak cubes
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more if needed
- 1 eschalion shallot, finely chopped
- 4 cloves of garlic,
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried chilli flakes
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 litre beef stock
- 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
- 1 package (226g) of medium egg noodles
- Fresh parsley finely chopped to serve (optional)
Method
- Add the flour to a plastic bag big enough to fit all the meat and season it with salt & pepper. Add the braising steak cubes to the back and after sealing it, shake the meat about in the flour to coat it.
- Add the vegetable oil to to a large stock pot or saucepan big enough to hold everything later and put it on medium-high heat. Brown the meat in the hot oil. Once the meat is browned all over, remove it from the pan to a plate and set aside. You might need to do this is two batches to prevent overcrowding in the pan.
- Reduce the heat to medium or medium-low, add the chopped shallot to the pan and cook gently while stirring occasionally for about 5 to 7 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic, dried thyme and dried chilli flakes to the pan and cook for another minute or two.
- Pour in the lemon juice and deglaze the pan, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any bits of flavourful colouring stuck to the bottom of the pan. Pour in the beef stock, the light soy sauce and add the meat back to the pan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and clamp on the lid. Cook gently for at least 90 minutes or until the meat is soft and falling apart.
- When you’re just about ready to serve bring the soupy mixture to the boil again and add the egg noodles. Cook according to packet instructions or until they have the desired consistency – usually about 5 minutes.
- To serve, add the beef & noodles to a bowl or pasta bowl and ladle some of the stock over it. Finish the dish by dropping some chopped parsley across the top from a height for a touch of green. Serve piping hot.