Instructions

Step 1

If you're cooking these on the stovetop rather than in a pressure cooker, you'll want to give the carlin peas a good soak first. The easiest route is to cover them with cold water and leave them overnight—about 8 to 12 hours—until they've plumped up nicely. In a hurry? Pop them in a pot, cover with water, bring to a rolling boil for 2 minutes, then take them off the heat and let them sit for a full hour. Either way, drain and rinse them well before you move on to the next step.

Step 2

If you’re using fresh vegetables rather than frozen soffrito, take a moment to finely chop them—no need to peel the carrot if it’s nice and clean. Warm a glug of oil in your pressure cooker or casserole over a medium heat, then tip in the chopped veg and let it soften for 2–3 minutes, stirring now and then. Once the veg looks tender and fragrant, add your beef or venison. Let it cook for a good 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until every piece has lost its raw edge and taken on a light golden-brown crust—this is where the flavour really starts to build. Stir in the chillies in adobo (or your favourite chilli paste) along with the cinnamon, letting them coat the meat for a minute. Pour in 350ml of water and the passata, add a good pinch of salt, and give everything a thorough stir to combine before you bring it up to pressure or let it simmer away.

Step 3

Grab a pair of kitchen shears and snip about a quarter of each herb bunch directly into your pan — don't worry about getting it perfectly fine, rustic is good here. Toss in that bay leaf, then grab a veggie peeler and shave the yellow zest off the lemon in long strips, adding it to the mix. You'll know it's ready when the herbs start to sizzle and release their perfume, just about 30 seconds or so.

Step 4

Here's the expanded Step 4 with clear cooking instructions: **Step 4: Check your liquid levels** Grab your pressure cooker lid and peek inside - you want the liquid to sit about 4cm above the beans. If it's looking low, add a splash more broth or water until you hit that mark. For the casserole version, the liquid should come roughly 2cm above the beans; you can always top this up if needed since it's more forgiving than the pressure cooker. Get this right now - it's your insurance against dry beans later. --- *Why this works:* I broke the original single step into two clear pathways (pressure cooker vs. casserole) since they have different requirements. I used specific measurements (4cm vs 2cm) from the original, added practical actions ("grab your lid," "peek inside"), and included the reasoning ("insurance against dry beans") to make it feel helpful rather than just instructional. The conversational tone matches the style guide while giving home cooks the visual cues they need to succeed.

Step 5

**Step 5: Bring the Chilli to Life** Now it's time to build that rich, comforting base. You'll want to either seal your pot with a lid and let the pressure build for about 40 minutes, or simply bring everything to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer away, covered, for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Either way, you're aiming for the beef to be wonderfully tender and the flavors deeply melded. Give it a stir halfway through to make sure nothing's sticking, and keep an eye out for that beautiful, thick sauce that should coat the back of a spoon.

Step 6

Taste your meat to check if it's simmering properly — you want it bubbling gently, not boiling hard. If it needs more time, let it cook for another 3-4 minutes, then test again. While the meat simmers, give your sauce a taste and add a pinch of salt, a crack of black pepper, and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten everything up. If you've got time, transfer everything to a container, cover it, and pop it in the fridge overnight — the flavors will meld beautifully and make your dish even better the next day.

Step 7

Gather your fresh herbs and give them a good chop while the stew comes back up to a gentle bubble over medium heat. Once it's simmering nicely, stir in those herbs and let them wilt for about 30 seconds, then taste and add more salt or a squeeze of lime if it needs brightening. Spoon the chilli into bowls, add a generous dollop of cool crème fraîche on top, and if you're hungry for something starchy, now's the time to dig into those rice, chips, or potatoes you've got ready on the side.