Cold nights drive families to a 1.2kg pot: are you choosing beef and carrot to cut bills 22%?

As temperatures dip and evenings lengthen, households reach again for stews that warm plates, budgets and busy weekday routines.

A simple pot of beef and carrot has surged back into dinner plans, helped by cheaper stewing cuts, low-waste vegetables and the promise of leftovers that actually taste better the next day. Retailers point to brisk sales of chuck and shin, while home cooks swap tips on pressure cookers and slow simmering to squeeze value from every kilowatt-hour.

Autumn kitchens turn to slow pots

This week’s buzz in British kitchens centres on a classic: tender beef cooked gently with carrots, onions and herbs in a savoury broth. The method is old-fashioned, the appeal universal. You brown the meat for flavour, soften the onions, add thick-cut carrots and a bouquet garni, then cover with stock and let time do the rest. The result brings comfort without fuss.

Plan for 1.2kg beef, 1kg carrots, two onions and about 1.5 litres of stock for six satisfying plates.

That base formula adapts neatly. You can swap in 300 ml of robust red wine for part of the stock for depth, or lift the sauce with the zest and juice of one unwaxed orange for a bright, subtle edge. Either way, the aroma announces dinner long before the lid comes off.

Price, energy and time: what it really costs

Energy prices still shape the way we cook. A steady simmer for about 150 minutes remains traditional, yet many households use either a pressure cooker to compress time or a slow cooker to spread it across the day. The numbers below help you choose based on your meter and your diary.

Use a pressure cooker when time runs short: around 40 minutes delivers fork-tender meat and a shiny, reduced sauce.

What to put in your pot

• 1.2kg stewing beef, ideally chuck, blade or shin
• 1kg carrots, cut thick to hold their shape
• 2 yellow onions, sliced
• 1 bouquet garni (thyme, bay, parsley)
• 1.5 litres beef stock
• 2 tablespoons neutral oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Optional: 300 ml robust red wine
• Optional: 1 unwaxed orange, zest and juice

A classic with carrots, onions and broth

Heat the oil in a heavy pot. Brown the beef in batches until well coloured. Soften the onions in the same pan, scraping up the fond. Add the carrots and herbs. Return the beef, season, and pour in the stock until it barely covers the meat. For a red wine version, replace part of the stock with wine. For the citrus lift, add the zest and juice at the start. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook low and slow until the beef yields easily to a fork. If the sauce needs body, whisk in a teaspoon of cornflour slaked in cold water and simmer for a minute.

Cook it today, serve it tomorrow: resting overnight deepens the flavour and gives the sauce a velvety finish.

Why this stew is trending now

Beyond nostalgia, this is a dish that respects a budget. Carrots remain excellent value. Shin and chuck cost less than prime steaks but transform with patient heat. The broth turns simple pantry goods into something that feels generous. Families also like the flexibility: serve with mashed potatoes, steamed new potatoes, a bowl of rice, ribbons of tagliatelle or even a spoon of creamy polenta.

Red wine lift

Swapping 300 ml of stock for red wine adds tannic structure and a gentle fruit note. Bay and thyme reinforce the savoury core. Tagliatelle or buttered potatoes suit this version, and a sprinkle of flat-leaf parsley brings freshness.

Orange twist

A fine zest and a quick squeeze of orange wake up the sauce without turning it sweet. This pairing flatters carrots and keeps beef at centre stage. Serve with rice pilaf or soft polenta for a lighter plate that still feels warming.

Tips butchers wish you knew

• Choose the right cut: chuck, blade and shin break down to tenderness and hold flavour.
• Cut carrots thick, about 2 cm, so they keep their shape during a long cook.
• Brown in batches to avoid steaming the meat and to build a deep base for the sauce.
• Keep liquid just below the level of the meat; reduction concentrates flavour.
• Season modestly at the start, then adjust at the end when the sauce has reduced.
• Skim surface fat, then whisk a little cornflour if you want a nap-worthy gloss.

Food safety, storage and smart leftovers

Cool the pot quickly, then refrigerate within two hours. The stew keeps well for three days in the fridge and freezes for up to three months in airtight containers. Reheat until piping hot throughout. Leftovers adapt easily: spoon into baked jacket potatoes, fill pies with a shortcrust lid, or loosen with stock for a hearty soup.

Nutrition and portions

From a 1.2kg beef and 1kg carrot base, you will plate four to six portions depending on appetite and sides. Expect a protein-rich serving with carrots adding fibre and natural sweetness. Skimmed of fat and served with a mound of steamed potatoes, it lands as a filling yet balanced plate for a chilly evening.

What this means for your weeknight

If your meter worries you, pressure cooking offers a pragmatic route: you keep the flavour and trim the cost. If you value hands-off cooking, the slow cooker lets you set the pot at breakfast and lift the lid at supper. If you cherish a thicker, glossy sauce, a gentle hob simmer remains the gold standard for reduction.

Try a simple planning drill. Batch-cook on Sunday using the 1.2kg base. Serve half with mash that night. Chill the rest. Midweek, reheat and split it in two directions: stir in orange and a splash of stock for a lighter bowl one night; on another, add a dash of wine and parsley for a richer plate. One pot, three distinct meals, predictable energy use and minimal waste.