Hm Beef Stew ??

tracey12_2

This beef stew and dumplings is yummy and it freezes well if you have any left over.

700g (1.5 lb) lean stewing beef, trimmed and cubed
2 tbsp flour
Salt and pepper
40g (1.5oz) butter
2 meduim onions, chopped
3 meduim carrots, sliced
0.5 small swede, diced (optional)
450ml (3/4 pint) beef stock

Toss meat in seasoned flour.

Fry meat in butter until browned, turning constantly then remove meat and leave on a plate.

Add vegetables to pan and fry for 7 minutes until golden.

Add meat back to pan and add stock. Bring to boil, cover and simmer gently for 2 hours or until meat is tender, stirring occasionally.

If you want to add dumplings use

100g (4oz) self raising flour, sifted
50g (2oz) suet
Pinch of salt

Put above into a bowl and add water to bowl to make a soft dough and divide into 8 dumplings. Add to stew 20 minutes before the end.

Enjoy.

Tracey

seraphina

I'm making this recipe for guests at the weekend:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/wordofmouth/2011/feb/03/how-cook-perfect-beef-stew

very simple!

Nimeth

I just dice up my beef, toss it in some cornflour to coat it and then just throw it and whatever veggies are in the house that want using up (chopped up of course), bit of stock, a little tomato puree, some seasoning and then whack it all in the oven for 5 or 6 hours on gas mark 2.

spike7451

Mervs Beef Stew...

1/2 lb Beef
Plain flour
2 med Onions-chopped
20 Button mushrooms-whole
2 Carrots-chopped
Peas
Tomato puree
Salt
Pepper
Worcester sauce
Stock cube
Veg oil.
Tin of Guiness
Water

Coat the beef in the flour & brown off the beef in a pan,add onions,carrots & button mushrooms,pour over the guiness & add the stock cube,tomato puree & a dash of worcester sauce,season.Simmer for around 20-30 minutes,serve with champ mash.

Simples!

RedLass

Ok, I didn't think it was possible to have too much garlic, but today I have been proven wrong.

I followed a recipe for a beef stew in my slow cooker (which incidentally, I'm not having much luck with either) and it required 2 cloves of garlic. So I chopped them up and threw them in, and 6 hours later, garlic is just about the only thing I get when I taste it...

I've actually made it for tomorrow night's dinner, so it's going to sit in the fridge until then. That means it'll do that magic thing where all the ingredients supposedly meld together and it gets even tastier, except that I think it'll probably just been even more garlicky! :eek:

Is there anything I can do to save it? Initial ingredients included fresh tomatoes, tomato puree, onion, carrot, an onion studded with two cloves, a bouqet garni (with thyme, parsley and bay), the beef, some stock, some red wine, and the two cloves of garlic.

I'm also a bit disappointed with it because I was hoping that the beef would reach that melt in the mouth stage, but it's actually a bit tough Not sure what I did wrong.

Honestly, I keep trying with this stew lark, because I love stews and casseroles, but mine are always a disaster!!

parsonswife8

Maybe try putting a raw potato into the stew as you would if it had too much salt in it.

As for the meat being tough, you may need to cook it some more on a low heat.

faerie~spangles

Two cloves isn't a lot of garlic. Are you sure you didn't put two bulbs in?

Absinthe_2

I normally put at least 4 to 6 cloves for general cooking. Are you over sensitive to the taste perhaps?

I can never put enough in, as love it, and never notice a strong taste, but some people don't like a lot.

RedLass

Well I just added the salt and pepper that it told me to do at the end (which I forgot) - thank you to parsons for reminding me (if not intentionally) about salt! This may help with bringing the other flavours through?

It also mentions adding some parsley at the end, but I haven't done that yet because we're eating tomorrow/Tuesday. Do you think that would make much difference to the final taste?

Definitely didn't add two bulbs They were large cloves but all the ingredients in my SC came to about three quarters full so I figured that it would not be OTT. Absinthe - maybe I am picking up on it more than others...

When I reheat I'll do it on the hob.. will it be too late for the meat to get any softer by then? Or might it improve if I simmered for an hour or so? I definitely bought casserole/stewing steak, and then cubed it myself, and browned before putting in the pot.

People always say these things are the easiest to cook, but it's my biggest failing in the kitchen.

kittycat204

something on this thread might help

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/3759543