Making a good stew (Beef or other)

[PeteC]

This needs it's own thread I think.

After 20 years, minus a few months, the wife now knows how to make a good stew. What vegetables to put in, when to put in, how to brown the meat first, what spices and sauce to put in, what cuts of meat to use, how long to simmer etc. When you think of it, much of Thai cooking is made up of their style of stew and soups so the idea of a farang type stew is not really that foreign to them, just different.

This is a hard topic as I think many of us will go back to "what Mom used to make", and swear it is the best in the world!

As the cold season approaches, stew weather?! (stifled laugh) Some tips and insights would be interesting to read.

[PeteC]

I'll start by saying what is perhaps a mortal sin of stew making, but as liquid stock I really like to use V8 juice. The problem is that apparently V8 hasn't been imported here since before Covid, and tomato juice just isn't the same.

I got rave reviews from a group of 20+ American ex-military here at a party I had back in the early 2000's when using it. Being kind or truthful I don't know!

[Big Boy]

I had to look V8 juice up, because I'd never heard of it. It seems you can order it online https://www.tops.co.th/en/v8-vegetable- ... 1000138033

[PeteC]

The dreaded, "Out of Stock" notation to the right on that page. That's been the story for about 2 years. Perhaps it's a stupid Customs problem, and maybe the new Gov will solve it? I can dream!

[migrant]

I'll cook mine in a slow cooker adding veggies late in the cycle so they aren't mush. I prefer a thicker stew so will use a roux and sometimes, if I have it, instant mashed potatoes as a thickener. I put celery in it early cause I like the taste of it in the stock but pull it out after a few hours and discard it. I remember the winter months in Maine making stews, bread,chili etc, Just not the same here!!

[HHTel]

Using instant mash as a thickener makes it akin to 'scouse' which is cooked till the potatoes dissipate into the stew. Love a bowl of scouse.

[dtaai-maai]

Dear oh dear, you're all so very working class. At D-M mansions one makes a casserole...

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[Dannie Boy]

I think most of us are old enough to remember when mum would cook a lamb “stew” that was left to simmer on the hob for many hours - left overnight to cool down (didn’t bother to put it in the fridge) and next day skim off the congealed fat!! These days most people call it a casserole rather than a stew (even those not as posh as D-M), but it’s much the same - slow cooked meat and veg with lashings of gravy, for which an electric slow-cooker is perfect!!

[dtaai-maai]

And of course the best thing about a slow-cooked stew is that you can use the cheaper cuts of meat. Brisket, shin, short ribs, neck, shoulder, etc.

[Mikeyb]

A slow cooker is the key.
Whack all the key veg in Onions, Celery, carrots and anything else you may want ,( pulses for thickning etc) stock or cube and water. Whack it on and season at the end to taste. Forgot to add I brown the meat in frying pan for added flavour, coat in flour to help thicken.
In the winter I often put one on 1st thing in the morning and then go out and play golf. Nothing better than coming home to a hot delicious stew.

I like shin beef slow cooked

[PeteC]

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[Lost]

^^^

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[STEVE G]

^I'm looking forward to showing my Irish colleagues that an Irish stew didn't even make the top fifty and got beaten by a British-Indian dish allegedly invented in Glasgow!

[KhunLA]

No argument from, as a Massaman or Thai Curry (green or red) is first choices when dining at Thai restaurant. Non Thai, hard to beat a good beef or pork stew, and just polished one off last night at the house.

Been making Japanese Curry lately, and S&B Golden Curry cubes make it too easy.

[HarryVardon]

I miss the only "real" stew on the list - Lancashire Hot Pot. But seriously that is a very bad list, it doesn't even contain Goulash which is one of the best stews in the world.