Jamie Oliver's 'easy' beef stew has 'minimal prep' and 1 secret ingredient

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is famous for creating easy meals made from delicious, high-quality ingredients.

Packed full of protein and delicious seasonal flavour, his easy beef stew recipe certainly doesn't disappoint.

Carefully curated to provide a hearty meal with minimal effort, Jamie describes it as "a meltingly tender beef stew recipe with minimal prep - get it in the oven in next to no time, and leave it to work its magic."

For an extra burst of flavour, his recipe also includes a generous splash of Worcester sauce.

Leave to become tender and delicious in the oven for three to four hours, this perfect autumn evening meal can be served with "a generous spoonful of creamy mashed potato and, if you like, a glass of your favourite red wine."

• 800g lean stewing beef
• Two tablespoons plain flour
• Olive oil
• Two cloves of garlic
• One handful of shallots
• Two sticks of celery
• Four carrots
• Half a bunch of fresh thyme (15g)
• Four ripe vine tomatoes
• 150ml red wine
• 500ml organic beef stock
• Two fresh bay leaves
• Worcestershire sauce

Preheat the oven to 160ºC/325ºF/gas 3.

Dice the beef into 1cm pieces, then toss in a bowl with the flour, making sure the meat chunks are totally covered. Set aside.

Add a splash of oil to a large casserole pan and place it over a medium heat. When it's hot, add the beef and cook for five minutes, or until the meat is browned all over. Transfer to a plate and leave to one side.

While the beef cooks, peel and finely chop the garlic, then peel the shallots and halve most of them, keeping a few whole. Trim and roughly chop the celery, then peel, trim and chop the carrots into 2cm rounds.

Splash a little more oil into the pan, then add the veg. Strip the leaves from the thyme and add to the pan, then cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.

Return the beef to the pan, then stir through the tomatoes and wine. Once the liquid has been absorbed, add the stock, bay leaves and a splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Season with sea salt and black pepper, then transfer the stew to the oven to cook for 3 to 4 hours, or until the meat is tender and pulls apart easily with forks.

Serve up and enjoy your delicious beef stew!