Baby and toddler recipes
🥩 Slow-cooked beef and prune stew
Melt-in-the-mouth beef braised with carrots, prunes and a little cinnamon. The prunes add natural sweetness and help keep things moving, and the beef is one of the best sources of iron.
Makes about 10 baby portions
Ingredients
- 400g braising steak Beef (trimmed, diced)
- 1 Onion (chopped)
- 2 Carrot (sliced)
- 6 Prunes (stoned and chopped)
- ¼ tsp Cinnamon
- 2 sprigs Thyme
- 1 tbsp Tomato purée
- 1 tsp Rapeseed oil
- Water (about 500ml)
- to serve Potato (mashed)
Method
- Heat the oven to 160C (140C fan).
- Brown the beef in the oil in an ovenproof casserole, then lift out.
- Soften the onion and carrot for 5 minutes, then stir in the cinnamon and tomato puree.
- Return the beef with the prunes, thyme and water. Cover and cook in the oven for 2 to 2½ hours until the beef falls apart.
- Remove the thyme stalks and shred the beef.
- Mash or blend to suit your baby and serve with mashed potato.
Serving it to your baby
At 7 months, blend or mash well so the beef is in soft, fine shreds. From 9 months, offer soft chunks of beef that squash easily and slices of soft carrot.
For the rest of the family
Add a splash of red wine to the adult share as you reheat it, and season with salt and pepper.
Storing and reheating
Cool quickly (within an hour), then keep covered in the fridge for up to 2 days or freeze in baby portions for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge, reheat until steaming hot all the way through, stir well and let it cool before serving. Never reheat more than once.
Weaning with OBubba
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Questions parents ask
Can prunes help with baby constipation?
Prunes are rich in fibre and natural sorbitol, which can help soften stools. Offer plenty of water with meals too.
How do I make beef soft enough for a baby?
Use a cut meant for slow cooking, like braising steak or chuck, and cook it low and slow until it falls apart with a fork.
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).