Slow Cooked Steak Diane Casserole - a great make-ahead meal, just the thing if you're feeding a crowd! I'll show you how you can cook in the oven, on the hob or in the slow cooker. I suppose it’s classed as retro these days, but I love steak diane.
My kids still think retro is a little bit cool, as is ‘old-school’ and ‘vintage’. I love how using a certain word can evoke a certain feeling that would be completely different if another word with the same meaning was used.
If I show my daughter a jacket or shoes from 20 years ago and call them vintage, she wants them. But if I told her they were from ‘back in the day’ they’re considered musty, old and unfashionable.
So this is my retro steak diane, re-made in casserole format.
Hands up here, it hasn’t got the posh-ness of a beautiful fillet steak, but it’s got all the taste, it can be made ahead, and you can serve a crowd without having to re-mortgage your house to pay for the ingredients.
Here's what you'll need:
How to make it
(full instructions and quantities in the recipe card below)
Brown chunks of braising beef that have been tossed in flour, salt and pepper in a large casserole pan over a high heat, with a good splash of oil.
Add onion and cook for a few minutes to soften, then stir in minced garlic, tomato puree, brandy/whisky, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and mushrooms.
Give everything a good stir, being sure to scrape up any bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan (lots of flavour in those bits!). Bring to the boil then place a lid on the pan and place the pan in the oven to cook for 3 hours, until the beef is tender.
At this point remove from the oven, stir in double/heavy cream and top with freshly chopped parsley and a sprinkling of black pepper.
Once you've brought the casserole to the boil in step 6, transfer the contents to your slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours. This is the crockpot (<– affiliate link) I use. It has a searing function, so you can cook it all in the slow cooker without having to use a pan at all.
Make on the hob/stove top:
Instead of placing in the oven, you can cook this casserole over a very low heat on the hob/stovetop, with the lid on for 2-3 hours. Check the casserole and give it a stir a few times during cooking to prevent it from sticking. If it starts to look a little dry, you can add in a splash of water or stock
Subscribe to newsletter to hear when we post a new recipe. I’m also on You Tube (new videos every Monday and Thursday) and Instagram (behind the scenes stories).
1tbspcornflour cornstarch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water, to make a slurry - (optional)
120ml(1/2 cup) double (heavy) cream
small bunch fresh parsley roughly chopped
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat the oven to 160C/320F.
Heat the oil in a large casserole pan over a high heat.
Place the chopped beef in a bowl and sprinkle on the flour, salt and pepper. Toss everything together, then add the beef to to the casserole pan. Cook for 6-8 minutes, turning regularly until browned all over (you can do this in batches if you like, but I find it doesn't impact the look or taste for this recipe to cook it all in one go)
Once the meat is browned, turn down the heat to medium and add the onion. Continue to cook for a further 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly until the onion starts to soften.
Stir in the garlic and tomato puree, cook for a further minute, then add the brandy/whisky, Worcestershire sauce, beef stock and mushrooms.
Stir everything together, being sure to scrape up any bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Bring to the boil, stir again then place a lid on the pan and place the pan in the oven* to cook for 3 hours, until the beef is tender. Check a few times during the last hour of cooking to ensure casserole doesn't cook dry. Add good splash of boiling water or stock if it starts to look too dry.
Once the meat is tender, remove from the oven. If you'd like to thicken the sauce a little, stir in the cornflour slurry.
Add the cream and stir, then top with freshly chopped parsley and a sprinkling of black pepper.
Serve with mashed potato and green veg such as broccoli, green beans and kale
Video
✎ Notes
Make in the Slow Cooker:
Once you've brought the casserole to the boil in step 6, transfer the contents to your slow cooker and cook on high for 5-6 hours or low for 7-8 hours. This is the crockpot (<– affiliate link) I use. It has a searing function, so you can cook it all in the slow cooker without having to use a pan at all.
Make on the hob/stove top:
Instead of placing in the oven, you can cook this casserole over a very low heat on the hob/stovetop, with the lid on for 2-3 hours. Check the casserole and give it a stir a few times during cooking to prevent it from sticking. If it starts to look a little dry, you can add in a splash of water or stock
Can I make it ahead?
Yes, make the casserole, then cool, cover and refrigerate it.Reheat in a lidded dish in the oven at 160C/320F for 35-45 minutes until piping hot throughout. Stir once or twice during this time to ensure it heats evenly.You can reheat on the hob if you prefer, although you will need to be careful when stirring so you don't break down the tender chunks of beef too much. Reheat over a low-medium heat, stirring often until piping hot throughout - which should take 10-15 minutes.
Can I freeze it?
Yes, cool, cover and freeze the casserole, then defrost overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat as per the 'Can I make it ahead?' instructions above.
Best cut of beef to use for Steak Diane Casserole:
Chuck steak (also called braising steak) – comes from the forequarter - consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder blade, and upper arm.
It’s a tough but very flavorful cut of meat. It has a lot of connective tissue, which needs long slow cooking to break down and become tender. This is the cut I always use for this casserole.
Silverside (bottom round) – comes from the hindquarter – just above the back leg. This is a good alternative.
It’s a leaner, inexpensive cut of meat with little marbling. The lack of fat means it doesn’t have as much flavour as chuck/braising steak, so make sure you use good quality stock to cook it in. It’s good for slow cooking, but must be cooked with moisture/liquid so doesn’t dry out and become tough.
Nutritional information is per serving, not including the serving suggestions of mashed potatoes and green veg.
Potato RicerHINT: Using a potato ricer makes the smoothest mash potato you will every taste. I recommend getting one!
Some of the links in this post may be affiliate links – which means if you buy the product I get a small commission (at no extra cost to you). If you do buy, then thank you! That’s what helps us to keep Kitchen Sanctuary running. The nutritional information provided is approximate and can vary depending on several factors. For more information please see our Terms & Conditions.
Hi I’m Nicky
I love to cook and I want to share with you my favourite, delicious family friendly recipes. I want to inspire you to create fantastic food for your family every day.
Loved cooking this. I added massel chicken stock as well as beef to give it a bit of depth. If you're really adventurous you can add a tablespoon of miso paste so yum!!!
Belle says
Loved cooking this. I added massel chicken stock as well as beef to give it a bit of depth. If you're really adventurous you can add a tablespoon of miso paste so yum!!!