Celebrating Great British Beef Week

Great British Beef Week (GBBW), now in its 14th year, is a nationwide campaign that celebrates the versatility and exceptional taste of British beef. Founded by the women’s farming group, Ladies in Beef, GBBW aims to highlight the goodness and flavour of properly sourced British beef. The commitment and dedication of British beef farmers to sustainable practices are also emphasised during this week. 

At the heart of GBBW is the recognition of British beef’s quality, which is why all the beef used in our featured recipes during GBBW will be Red Tractor-assured. This assurance guarantees the utmost care for the animals and provides essential support to our British farmers. 

As part of the celebration, we’re using our British beef to create a menu featuring dishes from across the globe, reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of OCS. Our Angel Hill catering brand will be showcasing dishes that demonstrate the diverse ways beef can be used. Here’s a glimpse of what’s on our menu: 

• Cured Beef Brisket ‘Roast Dinner’ Yorkshire Pudding Wrap: A delightful fusion of traditional British flavours wrapped in a Yorkshire pudding, perfect for those on the go. 
• Beef, Leek & Swede Cumberland Pie: A comforting classic with a twist, combining the richness of British beef with the earthy flavours of leeks and swede. 
• Spiced Moroccan Beef Meatballs, Roasted Veg, and Homemade Flatbread: A blend of spices meets succulent beef meatballs, served alongside roasted vegetables and warm flatbread. 
• Beef Keema Aloo with Coriander Citrus Rice: A vibrant Indian-inspired dish featuring spiced minced beef and fragrant coriander citrus rice. 
• Chilli Beef Taco Pizza: A Tex-Mex delight where crispy taco shells meet pizza toppings, including zesty beef chili. 
• Polish-Style Beef Patties (Kotlety): A nod to Poland, these hearty beef patties are seasoned to perfection. 

We look forward to serving these dishes to our customers across the nation to highlight the exceptional quality of British beef. Join us this Great British Beef Week to savour the taste of naturally delicious beef from our isles and explore its culinary possibilities! 

Dive into GBBW with this mouth-watering recipe for our classic Cumberland pie, perfect for sharing with friends and family:

Beef, Leek and Swede Cumberland Pie – serves 12

Ingredients

• 6 x Leeks, white part diced, green part sliced and kept separate
• 2 x large Carrots, finely chopped
• 4 x Celery sticks, finely chopped
• 2tbsp x baking fat
• 2tbsp x Veg oil
• 2kg x Minced Beef
• 400g x bacon, cut into lardons
• 80g x Plain Flour
• 10 x Thyme sprigs
• 4tbsp x Worcestershire sauce
• 2.5ltr x Beef bouillon
• 2kg x Swede, peeled and chopped into chunks
• 700g x Washed White Potatoes
• 50g x Baking Fat
• 200ml x Milk
• 50g x Grated Mature Cheddar
• 50g x Natural Breadcrumbs

Method

1. Pre heat oven to 180°C
2. Place the leeks, carrots and celery into a medium sized pan and saute over a low heat to cook without colouring in the baking fat and oil
3. In another large pan, brown off the minced beef, cooking in small batches to keep it brown without it steaming in the pan, breaking up the mince as it cooks
4. When the vegetables have softened, stir in the bacon and turn up the heat, cooking until everything is golden
5. Stir in the minced beef, followed by the flour, half of the thyme sprigs and the Worcestershire sauce
6. Slowly stir in the beef bouillon and bring to a simmer
7. Transfer to a deep gastro tray and place in the oven
8. Cook for 2 hours until the sauce is thickened and rich and the beef is tender.
9. Halfway the cooking time stir in the leek greens and continue to cook
10. While the beef is cooking, place the swede and potatoes into two separate pans
11. Cover them both with cold water, bring to the boil, and simmer until tender
12. Drain both well and tip them back into the pans, place on a low heat to steam dry for a minute or two
13. When they are dry, place them in one pan and mash until smooth with the baking fat and milk
14. Once the beef is ready, transfer to a serving dish, discard the thyme sprigs, and cover with the mashed mix, either pipe or fluff the mix with a fork
15. Rub the cheddar into the breadcrumbs, chop the remaining thyme and add into the crumb mix
16. Sprinkle the mix over the swede potato mix and place back into the oven increasing the heat to 200°C
17. Bake for a further 10 – 15 minutes until the sauce is bubbling.