I found this recipe in my recent Australian House & Garden magazine and although I haven’t made it yet, it looks perfect for this time of year and is on my list to try it out.

Mulled Wine-Braised Beef

• 2 kg beef oyster blade, trimmed and cut into 8 even pieces
• 1 L fruity red wine
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 onions, peeled and cut into chunks or wedges
• 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 6
• 2 sticks celery, roughly chopped
• 1 head garlic, unpeeled, cut in half
• 2 dried bay leaves
• Zest of 2 oranges
• 8 sprigs thyme
• 2/3 cup (100g) flour, browned in oven
• 2L good-quality beef stock
• 4 cloves
• 6 cinnamon quills
• 1 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

Method

• Place beef in a bowl with 500 ml wine. Cover and refrigerate overnight
• Drain beef and discard wine. Lay beef on paper towel and pat dry
• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large, heavy-based saucepan over high heat. Cook beef in batches until browned all over, about 2-3 mins.Remove to a plate
• Add remaining oil to same pan and reduce heat to medium
• Add onion, carrot and celery and garlic and cook until golden
• Increase heat to high and add remaining wine, bay leaves, orange zest and thyme; simmer until reduced to a syrup, about 15 mins
• Reduce heat to low and stir in flour. Add stock, bring to the boil, skim, season and add beef and spices
• Simmer 2 hrs or until beef is tender, skimming occasionally
• Remove meat, pass sauce through a strainer into another saucepan. Return liquid to the boil; add meat and warm through to serve
• Serves 8