Strog Part 1 Method

The reason I've split the recipe into two parts is simple – Part 1 can be slow cooked ahead and then frozen. Part 2 completing the dish is quick and easy – flawless cooking on the day!

Back to the method :

Using a large frying pan heat the rapeseed oil, season

and seal the strips of steak in batches until well browned

then, using a slotted spoon, set aside in the slow cooker

Using the oil and juices left in the pan sauté the onions

and garlic. Add the beef stock pots, mustard, tomato paste

and sweet paprika. Mix together and cook out for 2/3 minutes

so that the stock pots have melted and the tomato paste, mustard

and sweet paprika are combined. Add a glug of water and mix

thoroughly, meanwhile put the kettle on!

Gradually add more boiling water until the onions and

everything else are in a thick gravy. Tip the gravy over your

sealed steak, carefully, then top up with more boiling water so

that the steak et al is completely covered.

Slow cook for 4 hours

Now for the crucial part! When the slow cooking is complete set aside to cool. When cooled remove the the beef with a slotted spoon and place in a strong Ziploc bag, seal and place that bag in another – for safety's sake!

Carefully tip the gravy into another Ziploc bag and as above place that bag in another.

Place both the steak and the gravy bags in the freezer.

Coming up – Strog Part 2 – the day before and on the day ...