Braised Beef Shin with Onion Gravy and Parsnip Mash
Beef shin cooked until it falls apart in onion gravy, served on sweet parsnip mash.
Made with Onion gravy. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time3 hr 30
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £4.49 a head
- Oven150°C (130°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan). Season the beef shin well. Heat the oil in a casserole and brown the beef in two batches for 5 minutes each.
10 min - 2
Return the beef, add the carrots, tomato purée, stock, bay leaves and 300 ml of your ready made onion gravy (see the base recipe). Bring to a simmer, cover and cook in the oven for 3 hours, until falling apart.
180 min - 3
Boil the parsnips and potatoes together in salted water for 15 minutes, until soft.
15 min - 4
Drain well and mash with the dairy free spread and plenty of black pepper.
- 5
Steam the kale for 4 minutes.
4 min - 6
Serve the beef and its gravy on the mash with the kale.
Tips
- Beef shin has a lot of connective tissue and needs long, slow cooking to turn soft and rich.
- Leave the lid on, and check once at 2 hours that the liquid is only just covering the beef.
- Mash the parsnips with a little of the gravy for extra flavour.
Storing and freezing
Cool within 2 hours and keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freeze the beef in its gravy for up to 3 months. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Questions
Can I use stewing steak instead?
Yes, but it will cook faster. Use 2 hours at the same temperature and check the meat is tender.
Is this gluten free?
Yes, with gluten free beef stock and an onion gravy made with gluten free stock and Worcestershire sauce.
More made with onion gravy
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.