Homemade Potted Beef
Homemade Potted Beef is a traditional British food that’s so simple you won’t believe how delicious it is.
All you need to make it are diced beef, butter, salt, pepper, and a little beef stock. The seasoned, diced beef is slowly cooked with butter and stock until meltingly soft. Then you just whizz in a blender to a smooth, spreadable paste.
Sensational spread on crusty bread or toast with a few pickles on the side, Homemade Potted Beef makes a great lunch, picnic food, or informal first course.
NOTE: this is an update of a well-loved post from 2018. I’ve added new photos and an improved recipe. There’s also a FAQs section inspired by readers who’ve been in touch with tips and queries.
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HOMEMADE POTTED BEEF: A DELICIOUS TREAT
Maybe I was just a weird kid, but one of my favourite sandwich fillings (alongside herby, peppery Haslet) was potted beef. In those days it came from the butcher at the bottom of our road where, clutching a note from Mum, I’d often have to nip in on my way home from school.
Even now, I love potted beef spread thickly on crusty bread or toast. And you can still occasionally get it from decent butchers. But it’s dead easy, and so satisfying, to make your own.
Proof of just how simple it is: the batch I made for my original post was put in the oven first thing in the morning. While that was simmering away, I got on with decorating the master bedroom. Which meant I had delicious homemade potted beef on toast for lunch. Yum!
Whether you crave the old-fashioned flavour of potted beef from your childhood, or want to try it for the first time, I think you’ll love this easy recipe!
SIMPLE INGREDIENTS
One of the great things about Homemade Potted Beef is that you know exactly what you’re getting. In my case it’s just diced stewing beef seasoned with salt and pepper plus butter. Add a little beef stock for simmering plus a little more when whizzing it up and that’s it.
Contrast that with the ingredients in a well-known brand of jarred beef spread. In there you’ll find things like rusk, potato starch, chicory fibre (?!) and sugar. And there’s no mention of where the beef came from. From their website, I can tell you their polices on the gender pay gap and modern slavery (good on them), but not whether the beef they use is even British.
I know exactly where the meat for my Homemade Potted Beef comes from. I buy grass fed beef from local butchers like Dunwood Farm Butchery and Denstone Hall. Ready diced, boneless meat sold as ‘stewing beef’ is what I usually get. This can contain a number of flavourful cuts that need long, slow cooking. If you want to get a particular cut, then I highly recommend shin of beef.
You can fancy up the potted beef with various spices if you like – see my newly added FAQ below for ideas. But I prefer a pure, unadulterated beefy taste so stick to just salt and plenty of pepper.
EASY HOMEMADE POTTED BEEF
The only other things you need to make great potted beef are time and a blender or food processor.
You put the diced beef into an ovenproof dish and season it. Go easy on the salt, especially if you use salted butter as I do. You can always add more later if needed. To help keep the meat moist, I stir in a little beef stock too. Next, you lay slices of the butter over the beef.
Your dish will need a lid and, if it’s not very tight-fitting, a layer of foil underneath it. This will help to keep in all those lovely juices.
All you do then is put the dish in a low oven and leave it. How long the beef will take to get really soft depends on the toughness or otherwise of the meat, how big the pieces are and the peculiarities of your oven. But plan for three to five hours. See FAQs below for using a slow cooker or pressure cooker.
After the first thirty to forty minutes, I give everything a good stir. This will separate the chunks of beef which tend to stick together once they start cooking. It also gives you a chance to turn the oven down if you need to. All we want is a very gentle simmer.
WHEN THE BEEF IS COOKED
You’ll know when the beef is cooked as it will very easily come apart with a fork. It will also taste absolutely delicious – so try not to pop too many morsels in your mouth!
All that’s left to do then, after cooling for a few minutes, is tip everything into a blender or food processor and whizz.
To get a soft, spreading consistency to your Homemade Potted Beef, you’ll also need to add some more stock. Remember that once completely cold it will firm up considerably due to the butter and beef fat from the meat. This means you should keep it quite loose at this stage. When the texture seems right, make sure you taste to see if it needs any more salt or pepper.
The Homemade Potted Beef should now go into the fridge to cool. You can pack it into individual ramekins, jars, or one big container if you like.
SERVING HOMEMADE POTTED BEEF
Depending how much stock you added, you will probably need to take the potted beef out of the fridge a little while before eating so it becomes spreadable again. I often ping a ramekin in the microwave for 12 – 20 seconds so it becomes a little warm too. Gorgeous!
My favourite way to eat it is spread on good bread. This makes for a stonking lunchtime treat.
Or how about on thickly sliced toast? I must say, I’m sometimes rather naughty and spread the bread with butter before slathering on loads of Homemade Potted Beef.
But I think it’s impressive enough to serve as a starter to guests. Make sure your bread is top quality, like my no-knead Sourdough or Crusty Bread, and provide a range of pickles such as cocktail onions, cornichons or gherkins.
Potted meats were traditionally made to preserve foods. A layer of fat was poured over the top and they were left in a cool place. While, without that layer, my Homemade Potted Meat can’t really be considered a preserve and needs to be eaten within four days, I don’t think you need worry.
Tasting this good, the problem will be how not to eat it in one sitting. And all to yourself.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Since first posting the recipe back in 2018, I’ve been amazed to find just how popular this rather old-fashioned treat is. I’d thought it was just me who had fond memories of it from childhood. But, judging from the responses I get, it seems I’m not the only one.
I’ve made batches of potted meat countless times since then and have been able to improve the recipe even more. Also, inspired by those who’ve been in touch with tips and queries, here’s some FAQs I hope will be useful for those trying my Homemade Potted Beef for the first time.
Q1. WHAT BEEF SHOULD I USE?
You will need boneless chunks of beef. I most often use ready diced beef sold as ‘stewing beef’. This can contain any of the tougher cuts that require longer cooking but which have good flavour plus the fat needed for a successful potted beef. You could also use braising steak which is similar. If you want to buy a specific cut, then I’ve had excellent results with shin of beef.
Q2. CAN I USE MINCED/GROUND BEEF INSTEAD OF DICED?
I haven’t made potted meat with minced/ground beef and don’t recommend it. My feeling is that with long slow cooking it could become tough and dry rather than soft and tender. However, if you’ve tried it with minced beef I’d love to hear from you how it went.
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Q3. CAN I DOUBLE THE RECIPE?
You certainly can! So long as you use a suitable sized cooking vessel so that the meat isn’t crowded, cooking double the amount shouldn’t take any longer.
Q4. WILL THE RECIPE WORK IN A SLOW COOKER?
I don’t use slow cookers myself, but one person who does commented that it worked for them on low. Another said they put it in for 7 hours. It’s also recommended that the beef is stirred now and then to prevent a dry top layer forming.
Q5. HOW ABOUT USING A PRESSURE COOKER?
Although I haven’t personally tried it (yet!) I’ve received feedback from someone who had great success on a low pressure for 15 minutes with enough stock added to cover the meat.
Q6. CAN I ADD SPICES?
I prefer just salt and pepper, but if you want to add spices then feel free. Following my recommendation to stick to spices that have traditionally been used in Britain for hundreds of years, one commentator successfully used a little nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
Q7. MY HOMEMADE POTTED BEEF IS TOO HARD TO SPREAD WHEN COLD
These days, I always add a little beef stock to the cooking pot to keep the meat moist. I also add more stock when blending the cooked meat. Remember that it will firm up considerably once cold so aim for a loose mixture at the blending stage. If your potted meat is still too firm to spread, you can stir in a little cold beef stock to get the right consistency.
Potted beef pinged in the microwave for 12-20 seconds so that it’s soft and warm is also delicious!
Q8. HOW DO I ADD A LAYER OF FAT ON TOP LIKE TRADITIONAL POTTED MEAT?
Traditionally, potted foods are covered in a layer of fat to help preserve them. With potted beef it would have been melted beef fat. However, with modern tastes, you may prefer clarified butter. Melt some butter then leave for a few minutes so the white milk solids sink to the bottom. Pour the golden clarified butter over the chilled potted meat, discarding the white solids. Chill again until set.
Q9. HOW LONG WILL IT KEEP IN THE FRIDGE?
Homemade Potted Meat should keep for 4 days covered in the fridge.
Q10. CAN I FREEZE HOMEMADE POTTED BEEF?
Yes, those who’ve tried have reported back that it freezes well.
If you’ve made my Homemade Potted Beef, I’d love to hear what you thought. Join in the conversation below. And don’t forget to rate the recipe!
Homemade Potted Beef
A traditional British food that's so simple you won't believe how delicious it is spread on crusty bread or toast. Seasoned, diced beef is left to slowly cook in butter until meltingly soft, then whizzed to a smooth paste.
Ingredients
- 500 g stewing beef, diced see Recipe Notes
- salt & pepper to taste
- 50-150 ml beef stock
- 125 g butter, sliced
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 160C/140C fan/Gas 3
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Put the beef in an ovenproof dish which has a lid. Season sparingly with salt but be generous with the pepper.
Stir in 50ml of the stock.
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Lay the butter slices over the beef to cover. Put the lid on the dish - if the lid isn't tight-fitting, put a piece of foil over the dish before putting on the lid.
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Put the dish in the oven and cook until the beef is very soft (3-5 hours).
After 30-40 minutes remove the lid, stir to separate any pieces of meat that have stuck together, then replace the lid and return to the oven until done.
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When the beef is very tender, remove the dish from the oven, take off the lid and leave to cool for 5 minutes.
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Tip the contents of the dish into a blender or food processor and whizz until smooth, adding as much extra stock as needed to loosen it. IMPORTANT: the potted meat will firm up a lot when cold so should be a rather loose mixture at this stage.
Check the seasoning and add more salt and pepper if needed.
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Transfer the potted beef to individual ramekins, jars or one larger container, cover and leave to chill in the fridge.
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Serve spread on crusty bread or toast, with pickles such as cornichons, onions etc. on the side.
Should keep for 4 days in the fridge or can be frozen.
Tip: if the cooled potted beef is firmer than you'd like, beat in a little cold beef stock. It's also delicious pinged in the microwave for 12- 20 seconds which will soften and warm it.
Recipe Notes
Most butchers will sell ready diced ‘stewing beef’. This can contain any of the tougher cuts that require longer cooking but which have good flavour plus the fat needed for a successful Homemade Potted Beef. You could also use braising steak which is similar. If you want to buy a specific cut, then diced, bonelss shin of beef is excellent.
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Recipe first published in Nov 2018. Updated June 2022 plus new photos and a FAQ section added.
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This recipe made the most delicious potted meat I have tried yet. Thank you
Thank you Denise!
Just once, as a child, my grandma served us a pasty ground roast beef sandwich spread on white bread. Ever since, I’ve had flashbacks to that wonderful taste and wished I could have it again. I’ve searched for a recipe for years, but never knew to look for it as “potted” meat. I am so thrilled to have stumbled upon your recipe. I can’t wait to try it! It sounds like exactly what I have been dreaming about for the last 70 years or so!! Thank you so much for posting your recipe online! ~Bev
Hi Bev, thanks so much for getting in touch. It’s amazing how a simple thing like potted meat/beef can bring back such vivid childhood memories for so many of us!
Hope my recipe lives up to expectations!
We’re looking forward to trying this recipe. Has anyone tried making potted beef in a microwave?
That’s an interesting question – I’ve never even considered the possibility of using a microwave for this recipe!
From a bit of research, I see that some people make beef stew in the microwave so it possibly can be done. However, to prevent to meat going tough and dry, you should keep it covered and cook on medium or low power. Done like that you may end up with very soft and tender meat, but I think it would still probably take an hour or so.
If you try it, I’d love to hear how it went!
I hate waste. So when I do a load of bone broth in the slow cooker for 48 hours on low, the ‘remnants’ – beef, fat, etc. – get put into my spice grinder with some butter and simple seasoning. Thus out of some very inexpensive but quality beef bones and a bit of butter and time, a brilliant stock/broth and several ramikens of potted beef.
Brilliant!
Followed the instructions and used the beef stock quite sparingly. Put most of the stock in at the end,a bit like making concrete,you can add it but can’t take it out. Plenty of ground pepper,nutmeg and allspice. After cooling poured butter into the ramekins to cover and seal. Lid on after cooling and left in the fridge overnight.
I can only say that it’s better than shop bought. An absolute treasure of a recipe. Five stars. Can’t really take the credit,but I will. A fabulous find. Thank you so much.
Used my instant pot pressure cooker. 15 minutes at low then 15 minutes at high worked really well.
Highly recommended.
Thanks so much for the great, detailed feedback! Good to confirm that it works well in the instant pot pressure cooker as well as an oven.
Absolutely agree that it’s so much nicer than shop bought!
I have been making this for many years now living in Australia we cannot buy anything similar here. If I may, I add a few anchovy fillets into the food processor before blasting, gives a real english authentic taste (not fishy at all) I got this tip from a great aunt many years ago, it adds a subtle saltiness, I’ve also found adding a little good olive oil aids spreading straight from the fridge.
Thanks for your tips, Brian.
I agree that anchovy can be a great addition to meaty dishes. I make a lamb and bean stew with garlic and rosemary plus anchovy: really enhances the savoury taste!
https://moorlandseater.com/lamb-with-anchovy-garlic-rosemary/
Cooked in pressure cooker, strained the meat, added butter and put through food processor. Then reduced stock before adding back to blended meat. Beautiful!!
Lovely, Karen!
Would be great if you could give the recipe a star rating if you have a moment 😊
I made this but only had minced beef& pork mix and it was 5% fat……
so I added some lard and butter and pressure cooked it for 14 minutes on low with 1 cup water
turned out OK BUT, it is way runnier that I would like so I think next time I’ll strain the liquid and once I have it blended I’ll add a little in at a time (tablespoon?) just to loosen it up. or I might save the liquid, blend the meat and put in fridge then check, if it is too thick I can always add the (tablespoon) liquid and stir to get the consistency I want
Hmm… this does sound very different to the recipe I posted so I wouldn’t expect you to get the same outcome. But if you liked it I guess that’s all that matters!
Lynne, thank you so much for this recipe. I made it for the first time this morning and it turned out beautifully. However, I started from a different place.
I raise my own beef on a small farm in the USA. I butcher three steers every fall, to sell to customers. But I keep the heads. I boil the meat off of them, freeze it for all manner of uses later. I reduce the bone broth for beef stock and can it. Today, I made potted beef out of already cooked head meat and stock. I packed it into pint containers and topped it off with the fat-laden stock and melted butter. I froze two pints and cooled the third in the fridge. It firmed up beautifully from all the collagen in the stock, and spread perfectly.
When I put the meat and stock into the food processor, I added salt and pepper, a teaspoon of za’atar, a heaping tablespoon of garlic powder, and a heaping tablespoon of tomato powder. I think it made a positive difference. I made sandwiches with mustard and pepperoncini, and I am well satisfied. Next time I want to try some with my pickled walnuts.
Thank you again. This has been a great discovery, and I won’t be without potted beef again. Best wishes.
Hi Ivan, thanks so much for your interesting feedback! What a great way to use the heads – so pleased my recipe was the starting point for your own creation.
Will definitely try this. It might work with mince as long as you get the stuff with quite a lot of fat. I always cook mince long and slow, it’s delicious and even better the following day.
I’d be interested to hear how it goes, Ali!
Had some cooked roast beef which husband was unable to chew so put in the food processor with your ingredients and he was quite impressed. Probably not as tasty as shin beef but it meant it wasn’t wasted. Thank you for your inspiration
Good to know that the recipe works with leftover roast beef and pleased that my recipe helped reduce your food waste. Thanks so much for your feedback, Vicki!
Nice to see an old fashioned, simple recipe.
Can I, please, ask what if your favoured cut on beef for the potted meat you make?
I usually buy ready diced beef which butchers usually sell as ‘stewing steak’ or ‘stewing beef’. This could contain any of the tougher cuts that require longer cooking but which have good flavour and the fat needed for a successful potted beef. You could also use braising steak which is similar.
If you want to buy a specific cut then I think shin of beef would be really good!
Hope you enjoy it.
Pressure canned some ground beef a while back. Was trying to save room in the freezer. Added a jar to spaghetti sauce once and the texture was horrible… Still have 2 quart jars left that I’d rather not just throw away… Thinking that pureeing it might be the only solution… It’s already very cooked so I’ll have to alter the method a bit but hoping this will take care of the texture and taste delightful… Thanks for the recipe.
Looks like a great recipe and cant wait to try it, how long does it keep in the fridge?
Hi Gemma, thanks for your interest in my recipe!
The potted beef should be fine in the fridge for 4-5 days. If you want to store it longer than that, others have reported back that they’ve successfully frozen it.
Do come back and let me know how it went!
It’s totally a Yorkshire thing.
When I moved to North Wales I was horrified there was no potted beef in the fridge and I’ve lived without for 30 years apart from stocking up for the freezer when I visited Mum.
When I was a kid there were two types of sandwiches when you went out, cheese and potted meat (potted beef but we kids called it potted dog in Sheffield!). Tinned salmon was for Sunday tea and ham was for funerals (as in “She buried ‘im with ‘am”)
Still my all-time favourite butty filling – I accompany it with a bag of salted crisps with wet malted vinegar sprinkled in them and shaken up (I REALLY hate dried vinegar)
Thank you for your lovely comments, Jill! I love the phrase “She buried ‘im with ‘am” 😄
Potted meat is still one of my favourite sandwich fillings too: I’m going make a batch this week, all ready for sandwiches to take to a picnic at the weekend. Has to be on white bread though, with butter too!
I was looking for a good homemade meat spread. Being American I wasn’t familiar with Potted Beef, however I happened to be watching one of my favorite British shows (Call the Midwife) where it was mentioned. I landed on this recipe and WOW. This is now a lunchtime go to. Thank you!
What a lovely way to find out about this traditional British food! So pleased my recipe didn’t disappoint 😊
Many thanks for taking the time to get in touch, Colynn.
That’s how I discovered it as well!! Call the Midwife has introduced me to many new Brithish foods.
I’ve never seen the programme, but sounds like it’s doing a grand job!
I grew up in Sheffield and potted meat was always readily available. There was a company on Ecclesall road “Hartleys” that made the stuff and I thought it was delicious. I’ve lived in the US for the last 40 years and of course we don’t get it here. Now I can make it myself 🙂
Hope you like it Richard!
Funnily enough, I know Ecclesall Road as my sister lived there for a time.
I am a Yorkshire lass, living in Dorset for the last five years. Recently I have been craving potted dog and crisp butties…none to be found down here! It was one of my kids favourite sandwiches when they were younger.
Finding this recipe has made my day.
Hope you enjoy it Kristina.
I had a crisp buttie the other day for the first time in years!
I come from Leeds . Love BEEF POTTED MEAT Yum Thanks
😋
How do you get the butter topping on the potted meat?
If you want to add a butter topping just melt some then pour over once the potted meat is completely cold then chill again until it sets.
Traditionally, potted foods are covered in clarified butter due to its longer keeping qualities (although potted beef would more likely be beef fat I guess).
To clarify butter: melt it then leave for a few minutes so the white milk solids sink to the bottom. Pour off the golden clarified butter and use that, discarding the white solids.
I have made 2 lots with a pressure
Cooker with great success using low
Setting for 15 minutes enough liquid
to cover the meet brilliant recipe.
Thanks
Thank you for your feedback, Peter!
It’s great to know you’ve successfully adapted the recipe for a pressure cooker. I’m sure the info will be really useful for many others wanting to give it a go.
Not tried this yet but so glad U found it. Potted beef is a family favourite but expensive in bakery deli. Good idea to use the pressure cooker too. I wonder if minced beef would work too if using up ingredients.
Also what is She’s buried I’m with ‘am ??? Southern girl never heard this expression
Hi Donna, I think that with the long slow cooking, minced beef may get tough and dry rather than soft and tender. It’s certainly not something I’ve come across before so can’t recommend it. But if you decide to try, do come back and let me know how it went, will you?
I understand the phrase Jill mentioned to be dialect for ‘She buried him with ham’, meaning they ate ham sandwiches at the wake following a funeral! 😄
Ask your butcher for a knap bone and boil that with your beef for a good 4 hours lift the bone out and season and whisk your meat fill into ramekins and chill in fridge real potted meat
Well I learned something new today, Jack: never heard of a knap bone before.
Just looked this up and sounds like a Scottish recipe. Very interesting, thanks for the info!
Just like my Grandma used to make. Very yummy.
Thank you, Jennifer!
seems great I havent made it yet but was wondering how long i should cook the meat if i wanted to double the recipe?
Hi Adam,
I think doubling the recipe shouldn’t affect the cooking time greatly, if at all. Obviously cooking a large rather than a small piece of meat takes longer, but as the beef is diced in this case I think (so long as you don’t crowd the dish) timing should be similar.
You’ll know when it’s done by the meat being very soft and tender.
Do let me know how it goes if you try the recipe!
just finished making I doubled the recipe and actually cooked it in a croc pot overnight for 6 hours on slow it worked marvelously and I am putting the finishing touches on it for my brother who comes home for Christmas break tomorrow. Thanks for the recipe! PS. I used about 2/3 cup of beef stock when cooking which also helped consistency and allowed me leeway when choosing the consistency as far as adding the “juices” while using the processor on the cooked beef.
Many thanks for your lovely feedback, Adam!
So glad you enjoyed the recipe and it’s great to know it works in a croc pot too.
Have made this potted beef big mistake, all the family love it and now I have to make it nearly every week to keep them happy 🤣
😆 Oh no! Poor you.
(But lucky family!)
Thanks so much for your lovely feedback, John!
Haven’t made yet was wondering if you could use ground meat instead of meat chunks or diced.
Hi Teena,
I wonder if, with the long slow cooking, the ground meat would get tough and dry rather than soft and tender?
It’s certainly not something I’ve come across before so can’t really recommend it.
But if you do decide to try it, come back and let me know how it went, will you?
I wonder, would this work in a pressure cooker, or does it need the longer time cooking to develop the flavor?
Hi Karen,
I don’t think there would be a flavour issue, but I personally wouldn’t use a pressure cooker for this recipe.
I believe my Instant Pot pressure cooker needs a certain amount of liquid to work (not sure about other pressure cookers) and I don’t think there’s enough in this recipe.
If you do try it though, please come back and let us know how it went as I’m sure people would be interested!
I wondered how potted beef or what we call here in America “potted meat” spread is made. Always wondered, and I cannot believe it was so easy to make. This spread is as simple but slow cooking as it gets, and the flavor is just fantastic. I made quite a lot for only 2 people who eats with bread or crackers. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Glad you like it! Homemade potted beef/potted meat really does taste incredible, especially considering how simple it is.
Hi this recipe is great, we now live in Australia and can’t get potted meat here so each time we go back to the UK we have a potted meat breadcake from The bakery in Sheffield, last year we bought some from a butcher in Derbyshire and it cost us 5 pounds but we really enjoyed it, much cheaper to make your own and delicious, never knew it was so easy to make, been missing it for 35 years thank you
Thank you, Janet! Amazing that something so simple can taste so good, isn’t it?
So pleased you enjoyed the recipe and don’t have to wait until your visits to the UK to eat potted meat again!
Dad was a master butcher, he employed a chap who made brilliant Potted Beef, from the trimmings when boning out a carcase, the recipe died with him, man who took over the task just couldn’t get it right, if you dropped it on a hard surface it would bounce straight back at you.
Forty years later I’m going to give it try, just as a reminder of Arnold(the master maker) and Dad who died a couple of years ago aged 95.
Thank you for sharing your family story, Sam.
Hope my recipe lives up to Arnold and your Dad’s standards!
Adding some stock while blending it up seems to be the best way for a nice soft texture. Hope you’ll come back and let us know how it went.
As ‘Wind in the Willows’ fans we were delighted to find this recipe on your site and thought we would give it a go down the slow cooker route. So we left it on ‘Low’ for seven hours overnight. We put some of the butter slices beneath the beef as well as over the top, but added no stock at this stage.
In the morning the place smelt like heaven, memories of Xmas morning as a kid came flooding back…
Wanted to share our results:
Slow cookers vary in their heat delivery and we realised that 7 hours overnight had been too long for ours without stirring the mix. The beef that remained above the liquid surface had browned too much and gone hard. Nevertheless we scraped it all into the blender – not all of it made it to the blender 🙂 – added beef stock, Worcester sauce, more salt & pepper and whizzed it down into the most delicious paste. The little crunchy bits of beef that survived actually add tiny texture taste bombs, so it worked out very well in the end.
The slow cooker method definitely works, but next time we will:
a) Do twice as much – 500 g of beef reduces a lot and it won’t last long!
b) Add stock to the slow cooker before cooking as well as the butter.
c) Make sure the mix is stirred occasionally during cooking so all the beef remains moist, so not overnight again.
Many thanks for a wonderful recipe.
Dolo & Hen
Hi Dolo & Hen!
I’m enormously grateful for your detailed comments on making Homemade Potted Beef in the slow cooker. I don’t use one myself, but I know lots of people do and I’m sure they’ll find your experience really helpful.
So glad you liked the recipe and it brought back lovely memories for you.
Thanks again for taking the time to comment & rate the recipe. 🥰
Hi just wondering wondering what cut of beef you recommend for the potted beef please?
Hi Nicola,
I usually buy ready diced beef which butchers usually sell as ‘stewing steak’ or ‘stewing beef’. This could contain any of the tougher cuts that require longer cooking but which have good flavour and the fat needed for a successful potted beef. You could also use braising steak which is similar.
If you want to buy a specific cut then try shin of beef.
I see that I didn’t specify stewing beef in the recipe but, thanks to your question, I’ve just updated it to make it clearer.
Hope this helps!
I haven’t had potted beef for years since I moved down south u cannot get it here, during the virus I found ur recipe the only thing I did differently was to put it in a slow cooker for 7 hours it was beautiful great recipe
Thanks so much for your feedback, Tracy. It’s great to know that the recipe works in a slow cooker too. Really pleased you liked it!
Hi , just wondering how long the potted meat will last in fridge, can it be frozen, am recovering from stomach cancer ,had 80% of stomach removed and your recipe is one of the ways I can receive the required protein. But, I think I wa excited by your recipe that I may have made too much. Any advice you can supply will be greatly appreciated,many thanks, Cheers ,Mick
Hi Mick, the potted beef should be fine in the fridge for 4 days.
Although I haven’t frozen it myself, if you scroll down the comments you’ll see that Angela reported back that it DOES freeze well which is great news.
Hope you like it and best wishes for your continuing recovery.
Hi Moreland eater, thank you very much for the reply, I think I will freeze as ,like everyone on the planet we are in lockdown and it will come in handy over the next few weeks, also, many thanks for a great recipe, have a safe day ,cheers, Mick.
Thanks, Mick!
Thank you for the recipe, love it. Made it as per recipe, cooked it for 3hrs..25mins. After processing I added 30ml. beef stock and an extra knob of butter for a smooth consistency. I really can’t stop eating this, so delicious. Definately be making it again.
Thanks so much for your great feedback, Kathleen! Sounds like you love this recipe as much as I do 😃
Brilliant easy recipe, thank you!!! From the questions and suggestions I added, 1/4 cup of beef stock, a small amount (one shake of spice jar) of ground cloves, nutmeg and 1/4 teaspoon of All Spice. Sooo yummy. My dad has potted beef shipped from UK, I made him sandwiches and he loves it too.
Hi Becky, thanks for your feedback – that’s great that you, and your dad, loved the recipe!
Glad the suggestions worked out too!
I’ve just updated the recipe with your tips about adding spices plus beef stock, Becky. Thanks again for your feedback!
My recipe went well flavour wise but it seemed very hard and not nearly as smooth as yours… a what did I do wrong
Hi Wayne, glad you liked the flavour of the potted beef.
You didn’t necessarily do anything wrong; perhaps your beef had less fat than mine which may have resulted in a dryer, harder result. When you’re whizzing up the cooked meat, if it seems dry or doesn’t want to come together smoothly you could try adding some beef stock, a little at a time, and whizzing again until you get a texture you like.
After visiting the UK and not being able to buy potted meat here I tried my own. Fabulous. I think next time I might add some spices but are unsure which ones to add. Can you guide me in that? When in the UK I loved the spiciness of birds potted meat so it’s that degree I’m looking for.
Thank you for posting this recipe.
Heather
Hi Heather, so glad you liked the recipe.
I’ve not actually heard of birds potted meat and can’t find it online so not sure what spices are in there. But I think of potted beef as quite British so would include spices like ground mace, nutmeg, cloves and maybe allspice as these have been used here for centuries. For the 500g of meat in the recipe I’d probably add no more than a teaspoon in total.
Would love to hear about your spiced version if you do go on to make it!
Will be trying this tomorrow once I’ve been to get the meat. Sounds very much like something my Mum used to make. Has anyone tried freezing it?
Hi Angela, hope you like it! I’d be interested to know what you think of it.
I’ve personally never tried freezing it, but don’t see why you couldn’t. Maybe just test a small portion in the freezer to check first? Would be useful to know what the result is if you do freeze any.
Loved this potted beef. Next time might try shredding the meat instead of using the food processor. It also freezes well I’m glad to say.
Thanks so much for your feedback, Angela. Really good to know that it freezes well.
I like the idea of shredding the beef too. You might like my Pork Rillettes recipe which is similar https://moorlandseater.com/pork-rillettes/
So easy I made it and it was delicious. My mum always bought home made beef spread from our local butcher and I did two giving it to my 2 now adult children. My son now lives back in our old town and still occasionally goes to the same butcher to buy it ( which is great that they continue to make it) but when I made this recipe he said it was up there with the butchers although they must add something to make the consistency looser ( any ideas?) but thank you for this east tastey treat
Hi Karen, so glad you liked the recipe! To make the potted beef consistency looser, I would add a little beef stock when you’re whizzing it up in the food processor. You could also put a little water or low salt stock in with the beef and butter during the cooking. Hope this helps & many thanks for your feedback.
Wonderful meal, easy to make, GREAT taste
Thanks for the feedback, Billy. So glad you liked the recipe!
My daughter wanted me to make potted beef, her favourite books are the Famous Five and they frequently have picnics with potted meat and such. This recipe was the most simple and had the least ingredients. Made it in my slow cooker on low. Husband loves it, said it’s better than the potted ones his mum used to buy from Safeway. I love it. My son said it’s gorgeous. Looking forward to Friday when my daughter is home to try it.
Thanks for the feedback! Sometimes the simplest things really are the best & I love the pure, beefy flavour of this potted beef. Hope your daughter likes it too!