Aunty Joanne's Slow-Cooked Chilli

Ladies and gentlemen, you are in for a real treat today… This is my Aunty Joanne's famous slow-cooked chilli and when I say it is one of my all-time favourite dishes on this planet, I really mean it.

A good chilli is one of life's greatest joys and this is the best chilli you'll ever eat so be prepared to rejoice! Instead of the commonplace minced beef, this uses chunks of steak, slowly cooked down until you can literally break it apart with a spoon. The sauce is deep and rich and full of flavour with robust red wine, sweet yet tangy tomatoes and, of course, the all-important chilli heat. I truly cannot express how much I love this dish – make it and see how delicious it is for yourself!

Aunty Joanne's Slow-Cooked Chilli

Serves 4-62 tbsp oil

600g stewing or braising beef, cut into bite-sized chunks

250ml decent red wine

100ml good-quality beef stock

1 large red onion, finely sliced

2 red peppers, deseeded and cut into large chunks

2 carrots, cut into large chunks

325g tin of sweetcorn, drained

2 x 400g tin plum tomatoes

75ml Worchestershire sauce

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2-4 tsp chilli powder (to taste)

2 tsp ground cumin

2 tsp dried oregano

2 bay leaves

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

In the slow-cooker:

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over a high heat. Season the beef well and then, working in batches, sear it on all sides until well browned all over. Use another tablespoon of oil between batches if necessary. Spoon the browned beef into the slow cooker as you go.

Once all the meat is browned, deglaze the pan with the wine and stock, scraping up all the good stuff from the bottom of the pan as it bubbles away for a couple of minutes. Pour this into the slow cooker and add the remaining ingredients along with a decent amount of salt and pepper. Put the lid on and leave to cook on low for approx. 8 hours.

In the oven:

Preheat the oven to 150C. Sear the meat as above, transferring the browned meat to a plate. Fry the onion for 5-6 minutes on a medium heat until softened, and then add the garlic for 1 minute. Add the spices and toast for 1-2 minutes. Return the meat to the pan and add the wine. Increase the heat and let the wine bubble down for 3-4 minutes. Add all the remaining ingredients, pop lid on and cook in the oven for 3-4 hours, stirring occasionally, until rich and thickened and the meat is tender.

Serve with rice or a baked potato and plenty of grated cheese.