stew ?

emmaBZ

hi im thinking of making stew next week can anyone tell me what i need and how long to cook it for ? ill be using diced beef so do i just chuck in loads of vegs, what about potatos? and how do i make the stock ? sorry just need help :rolleyes:

r.mac_2

hiya,

we had stew last night. I browned my diced beef, added some chopped veggies (I add whatever i have - last night it was onions, garlic, red pepper, corgette and parsnip) until they slightly colour, then i disolve a stock cube in boiling water and add to the stew. If using veggies like parsnips remember they suck up quite a bit of the stock. I also added a squirt of tomato puree and a dash of red wine that was hanging around.

I cooked it for about 1 and a half hours just simmering away. by that point the meat and veg were very tender.

The trick is to add what you have and taste every now and again. sometimes you will need more stock sometimes less - go with what you fancy.

re: potatoes, some people dice and add while cooking like an irish stew. in our house we have the steew with a baked potato to help mop up all the juices. Personal preference.

HTH and enjoy your dinner

lemontart

have you got a pressure cooker? worthwhile investment - here is what I do with mine

Buy stewing beef or chicken portions - cheap ones will do - onions, carrots, celery and potatoes - appropiate stoclk cubes, mixed herbs, bayleaf, cheap cooking wine. garlic puree.

Brown meat or chicken in olive or vegetable oil - remove from pot, then soften onions before adding rest of chopped veg (not potatoes yet) cook for couple mins before returning meat or chicken - add stock, wine if wanted about 1/2 glass - herbs, bay leaf and herbs.....bring to boil, add potatoes then put lid on and lock - bring to pressure and reduce heat - takes about 20 mins for chicken casserolle and 40 for beef, turn heat off, remove lid taste check the meal, and use cornflour or gravy granuales to thicken to your preferred level and serve.

If you want mushrooms you can add about 5 mins before end of cooking, also frozen veg can be added now too.

Liz
xx

dlb

When im in a cant be bothered to cook mood i make cheating stew!!, i throw into slow cooker 2 tins of stewing steak, carrots, potatoes, peas sweetcorn,leeks,onions top up slow cooker with water and add gravy granuals.
Cook on low setting for about 6 hours and throw in dummplings about 1 hour before searving.
Tastes great.
I do like proper stew, but on days im in a rush and busy this is great as no pre cooking requied

ka7e

I use a pressure cooker but like to finish off the stew in the oven for a couple of hours to really tenderise the meat! The cheapest beef is skirt, if you can get it from a local butcher's.
I only use about 1lb of meat to feed 5 adults! Lots and lots of seasonal veggies to bulk it up.

1lb of cubed meat (beef or pork)
5 medium carrots
1/3 swede
2 or 3 medium parsnips
1 medium turnip
2 medium onions
sandwich bag half-full of well-seasoned flour
tsp mixed herbs
stock cube
gravy thickener (Bisto)
oil for frying

Peel and slice/chop all veg. Place in large pan or casserole dish (pref one that can be used both on stove top and in oven).
Coat meat in seasoned flour (in bag!), shake off excess and fry gently until lightly browned. Add to veg.
Dissolve stock cube in 1pt water, add herbs.
Put a little more oil in frying pan, add 2 or 3 tbsps of the seasoned flour and cook gently for a few mins. Add half pint of stock, stirring or whisking continuously as it will thicken v quickly. Add rest of stock plus enough water to make a gravy that will eventually cover the meat and veg. If it's too thin, use gravy browning to make it thicker. The flour coating the meat will also go some way towards thickening.
Bring to the boil and then simmer v gently for 1 and a half hours. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Place in the oven on a fairly low setting and leave it there for 1-3 hours until needed.
Serve with crusty bread or boiled pots or jacket pots.
I cheat and use dumpling mix but make mine seperately in the microwave and then add them to the cooked stew!