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Secret of a good stew?
Hotelier
Posts: 13,100 Forum Member
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Whenever I make a stew(Beef is my fav, I've tried a few internet recipes) it always comes out rather bland and the meat 'chewy'..not at all like "Mum used to make". Is it just my age that it tastes bland, or does anyone have any really good, tasty stew recipes and ideas for the meat to prevent "chewiness"?...(I use stewing steak).
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How long do you cook it for? What's your basic recipe?
I usually cook for about 3 hours on 180C.
Cook it low and slow. Slow cookers are great for this. You don't have to chew the meat after 6 hours on low setting.
I made a mistake on Saturday - prepared the stew then left in the slow cooker on High instead of Low while we were out for 9 hours. More evaporation of the fluid than normal, but meat was melt in the mouth and all the flavours combined. Basically, one onion, sliced rather than chopped and browned off a bit. Stewing meat, carrots, a few cloves of garlic and a couple of Oxo cubes. No tinned tomatoes because we'd run out. Topped up with water, then left alone to cook for 9 hours.
Low and slow, is the secret.
Low heat and slow cooking.
http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-very-good-beef-stew-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-184050
This - same for chillis too. The acids in the vegtables need time to break down the fibres in the meat so they aren't so tough. Also flavours will develop more when given time.
I'm not sure actually cooking a stew for more than 2 hours is really achieving anything.
Based on that I reckon your meat might not be up to scratch.
Much lower temperature (about 80-100C would be fine) and a few more hours.
Chilli is the same.
You need to go lower and slower, that's why the meat is chewy. 130 to 140 for about four or five hours.
Get a cheapish cut as they work best- we get cubed brisket cut from out butcher really cheaply. Finest Casserole beef from Tesco is ok too. Then roast on a medium low temperature for ages - i.e 3 or 4 hours, maybe more until the beef falls apart.
Always used 2 Oxo beef cubes in the stock.
We always throw chopped garlic and a bay leaf in - as well as a bit of Worcester sauce and some tomato paste.
My mum used to fry the cubes of beef first, then for the last minute, put a level tablespoon of flour in the pan. The flour sticks to the beef - but then turns the strew thicker when cooked.
Always season.
Also I wouldn't be adding potatoes at the beginning. They'd be mush if I cooked them for 3 hours, especially as you've said small cubes.
I'd put them in for the last 45/60 minutes.
Just let it rest on the cooker and added the dumplings next day. But yes resting was the way to let the meat tenderise, fridge or otherwise.
I second that plus I'd recommend the herb rosemary for putting in stews. In addition, I'd suggest the use of cornflower or arrowroot for thickening stews.
Buy them in a little jar and add two or three, snipped up, to stews, gravy, soup and all sorts of savoury things. They will dissolve and vanish in the cooking, leaving a wonderful depth of flavour.
They are one of the "umami" flavours. Dried mushrooms are good too.
Or marmite, particularly for beef recipes. I can't stand the stuff out of the jar, but a teaspoon or so mixed into stock really gives it some oomph.
3 hours??? 3 HOURS???? You're in casserole territory there, Stew that puppy for 7-8 hours on a nice low temp.... Then reheat and eat the next day... Now that's a stew!
HP sauce is the real secret ingredient. Bit don't tell anyone...
I always put Marmite in beef stew. It really helps to bring out the beefy flavour. I also always add a splash of Worcester sauce (to spag bol too), which is along the same lines as adding anchovies.