For slow cooked beef, top ribs are one of my favorite.  They are also inexpensive; our local butcher sells them for $6/kg, or $3/lb.  I get the butcher to cut them in medium pieces.

Ingredients (beef top ribs)

2 kg / 4 lb beef top ribs, cut into medium pieces

2 medium brown onions, roughly cut

2 stalks celery, roughly cut

1 carrot, roughly cut

1 pineapple, skin and core removed, cut into small pieces

1 medium piece ginger, roughly cut

3 whole star anise

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp black pepper

1/4 cup cider vinegar

1/4 soy sauce

1/2 cup water

2 Tb brown sugar

Ingredients (sweet potato mash)

2 large sweet potatoes, skin on

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup whole milk

salt and pepper to taste

Vegees

1-2 bunches asparagus, thick part of bottom removed

2 dozen sugar snap peas, tops removed

 

Using a deep, oven-proof pan with a lid, sear the beef in batches with a bit of oil until browned on all sides, and set aside.  Saute the onions until soft, then add the rest of the ingredients and bring to the boil.  Return the beef to the pan, bring to the boil again, cover the pan and cook in an oven for 2 h at 140 C (280 F).  After about 30 min, place the sweet potatoes, whole, on a roasting pan in the oven as well.  Remove the beef dish and sweet potatoes from the oven at the same time.  Remove the beef from the pan and set aside, covering to keep warm.  Strain the juices through a fine sieve and return to the pan.  Cook on low to reduce, about 10-15 minutes.  Meanwhile, heat up the butter and milk in a pan.  Remove the skin from the sweet potato and mash into the hot milk/butter, and salt and pepper to taste.  Just before serving, add the vegees to the reduced juice and cook for 3-4 minutes, and serve with healthy pours of the juice.