Recipes

A Russian classic that turns a humble cut into something genuinely luxurious

Beef stroganoff has suffered terribly at the hands of the 1970s — tinned mushrooms, packet soup mix, and beef that was overcooked into grey shoe leather. The real version, made with properly prepared round steak, sautéed mushrooms, a sour cream sauce enriched with Dijon and paprika, is genuinely extraordinary — and nothing like what you may have had at a school canteen.

Set it at lunch. Come home to dinner.

All the comfort of a pot roast, rebuilt for the thin round steaks in your share pack. Round is lean, dense muscle that rewards a slow braise — four to five hours on LOW and the steaks emerge fork-tender, surrounded by sweet root vegetables in a deeply flavoured braising liquid that doubles as a sauce.

The marinade that does the heavy lifting so the BBQ can do the rest

Topside is one of the best cuts to marinate — its lean, open-grained texture drinks up a marinade beautifully, and the acidity in the marinade does meaningful tenderising work overnight. The result, on a hot BBQ, is a charred, flavourful, juicy steak that over-delivers on its humble origins.

Rich, warming, endlessly useful — and better the next day

A proper chilli con carne is not a quick-stir pasta sauce with beans. It is a slow-cooked braise of diced beef with a complex sauce built from dried chillies, toasted spices, and time. Using diced beef instead of mince gives it a heartier texture — chunks of fall-apart beef that hold their own against the bold sauce.

The pie filling that works with puff pastry, shortcrust, or just a lid — your call

A great beef and mushroom pie starts with a great filling — which means properly browned beef, deeply savoured mushrooms, and a sauce that is rich but not heavy. This recipe gives you the filling; what you do with it (full pie, pot pie with a pastry lid, beef and pastry tarts) is entirely up to you.

A complete meal in a natural bowl — and a family dinner that looks more impressive than it is

Stuffed capsicums are one of those dishes that feel considered and generous without requiring much effort. The capsicums act as both the vessel and a key flavour component — they sweeten as they roast, infusing everything inside with a gentle, caramelised flavour. With a grass-fed beef and rice filling seasoned with herbs and spices, this is a genuinely satisfying, complete meal.

The curry that asks you to be patient — and rewards you lavishly for it

Massaman is one of the great slow-cooked curries — Persian-influenced, gently spiced with warm aromatics like cinnamon, cardamom, and star anise rather than chilli heat. It is a perfect vehicle for diced grass-fed beef, which gives the curry its collagen-rich, body-building depth as the connective tissue breaks down over a long, gentle simmer.

The ultimate winter warmer — and a sneaky way to get extra vegetables into everyone

Cottage pie is a dish that asks very little of the cook and delivers an enormous amount of comfort. Made with quality grass-fed mince and topped with a properly seasoned mash, it is one of those meals that makes everyone feel cared for. The addition of celeriac to the mash topping adds a subtle nuttiness that elevates the whole thing without anyone noticing.

The recipe that turns a Tuesday into something worth coming home for

A good meatball is one of the great comfort foods — and it is entirely dependent on the quality of the mince you start with. Grass-fed beef mince has a depth and complexity that means you don't need a long list of additives to make a flavourful meatball. Let the beef do the talking, and build everything else around it.