Just the weather for stew

tanith

You really don't need sauce mixes for stew , I brown some stewing steak, add onions a stock cube and a mix of lots of veg and pearl barley and cook for 2 or 3 hours very low then thicken the gravy with either cornflour or if like us you like a darker gravy I add bisto, then 20 mins before its ready add dumplings...mmmnnnn very tasty. You can use a similar method with lamb or chicken of course putting in what veg and lentils or beans that you like

Oldernotwiser

Brown lamb neck chops with onions and carrot,add split peas and a stock cube, simmer for about an hour and then add red lentils. Add dumplings.

Pretani

tanith wrote: »

then thicken the gravy with either cornflour or if like us you like a darker gravy I add bisto,

try thickening it with potatoes tanith, cut them twice the size you need them and let them boil down.

BitterAndTwisted

Well, if you like the packet mixes and they're not breaking the bank you should just carry on using them. I expect they just contain thickeners and seasoning which most of us have at home in any case. Except me because I don't eat meat any more.

If you're thinking stewing beef rather than a joint then I suggest you cut it up into forkable-sized pieces, paring off any tendony-gristly bits and roll them in seasoned flour. Heat up a pan with sone butter or iol in it, toss in some chopped onions and sweat them off. Bung in the meat until all of the chunks are browned and then take them out of the pan and set aside on a plate. Make up some stock using a beef-stock cube and add it to the pan stirring with a wooden-spoon and using it to get up all of the browned flour off the bottom of the pan bringing it to the boil to thicken the mixture. Once that's done bung the meat back in with some chopped carrots, swede or whatever else is to hand, some nice herbs or whatever seasoning you like (a quarter teaspoon of Marmite or a tablespoon of Lee & Perrins or HP sauce will perk things up) and simmer for at least an hour. The longer the better really.

Kevie192

I'll let you into a family stew secret here... Oxtail soup and baked beans!!!

Fry stewing steak and onions for a bit until sealed, then add a tin of oxtail soup with a little water if needed simmer for about an hour. Throw in any veg - potatoes, carrots etc. then cook for another 30 mins or so. Add a tin of baked beans, cook for a further 10 mins. You can either serve it now or leave it to simmer a bit longer, depending on how you like your veg!

My family have always used this method and any other stew just tastes bland to me now and lacking in flavour. Anyone I have made stew for always say it's the best they've ever had.

The recipe is really versatile too - use minced beef and less water and top with potato for a delicious cottage pie.

HTH

Kevin x

tanith

Kevie192 wrote: »

I'll let you into a family stew secret here... Oxtail soup and baked beans!!!

Fry stewing steak and onions for a bit until sealed, then add a tin of oxtail soup with a little water if needed simmer for about an hour. Throw in any veg - potatoes, carrots etc. then cook for another 30 mins or so. Add a tin of baked beans, cook for a further 10 mins. You can either serve it now or leave it to simmer a bit longer, depending on how you like your veg!

My family have always used this method and any other stew just tastes bland to me now and lacking in flavour. Anyone I have made stew for always say it's the best they've ever had.

The recipe is really versatile too - use minced beef and less water and top with potato for a delicious cottage pie.

HTH

Kevin x

Sounds nice but there would be way too much salt it there for me... it could be the amount of salt that makes anything else taste bland..

Kevie192

Hmm, it doesn't taste all that salty. Mainly because of the amount of potatoes in there I think.

The oxtail is watered down too... I find it less salty than stew with bisto etc in it.

Kevin

Pretani

oxtail soup would be nice additive, rich and full of flavour.

What brand would you recommend Kev?

Kevie192

I've used all brands tbh and there's not much between them. Usually go for Asda own brand or Heinz if on offer.

Pretani

I like Heinz tomatoe soup, batchelors tomatoe soup just isn't the same.