Mary Berry's beef stew recipe is the perfect winter warmer, with a few unusual ingredients that make it stand out from the crowd — and it's easy to make too
02:37, 21 Nov 2025
Few meals provide the warmth and satisfaction of a robust beef stew, and while numerous recipes exist, Mary Berry's take is notable for its straightforward approach and smart use of kitchen essentials. According to BBC Food, the recipe promises: "Mary's warming beef stew flavoured with ginger, paprika and horseradish. It's lovely with dauphinoise potatoes and green vegetables."
Feeding six diners, this meal works brilliantly for family gatherings and takes less than two hours to complete.
A two-litre ovenproof and flameproof casserole dish is essential, as the cooking method involves searing the meat on the stovetop before oven-braising, reports the Express.
How to make Mary Berry's beef stew
Ingredients:
- One tablespoon of sunflower oil
- 750g braising steak, cut into cubes
- 25g butter
- Two small leeks, trimmed and finely sliced
- One teaspoon of ground ginger
- Two teaspoons of paprika
- 40g plain flour
- 425ml pint good-quality beef stock, hot
- Two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
- One small celeriac, peeled and cubed into 2cm
- Two heaped tablespoons of hot horseradish cream
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- Chopped fresh parsley, to garnish
Method:
Warm the oil in a substantial ovenproof pan and seal the meat over high heat until golden.
Remove using a slotted spoon and put to one side. Set the oven to 160°C/140°C Fan.
Place the butter and leeks into the same pan without cleaning, sautéing for a few minutes before adding the ginger, paprika and flour. Combine and heat for one minute.
Add the stock and bring to the boil, mixing until the liquid thickens. Add Worcestershire sauce and season liberally with salt and pepper.
Reintroduce the meat to the vessel, bring to the boil, seal with a lid and allow to simmer gently for a few minutes. Pop it in the oven and let it cook for roughly one hour and forty-five minutes to two hours.
After this, add the celeriac, bring it back to a boil for a few minutes, then put it back in the oven for about half an hour, until both the meat and celeriac are soft.
Mix in the horseradish cream, garnish with parsley and serve straight away.