Post by Agymnum on Aug 29, 2016 17:56:25 GMT -4
So I have a basic formula down for beef stew that you can vary depending on what ingredients you do/don't have on-hand, and for the most part it'll taste pretty much the same. Very rich, hearty, and not too labor-intensive although it takes some time.
Ingredients for 4 servings:
Ingredients for 4 servings:
- 1 - 1.5 lbs of beef (chuck, stew meat, shank - anything that's fairly thick will do, no thin slices)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 bottle of whatever beer you have on hand (I use Guinness, not sure how other beers fare)
- 3 cups of broth (beef is best, obviously, but I've done this with chicken and even vegetable)
- 3 - 4 medium-sized potatoes, diced
- 2 small carrots, chopped
- 1 - 2 stalks of celery, chopped
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 3 - 4 medium-sized mushrooms, quartered
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 bay leaves
- 1/4 teaspoon cloves, whole or crushed
- Salt and black pepper to taste
For variations you can take out vegetables or add any that you think would fit. I'd use leeks if I had them on-hand, maybe yam instead of potato, leave out the mushrooms or add in more, etc. In terms of spices, anything that goes with beef and that works in a soup would work - I've tried crushed red pepper flakes although that's not to everyone's taste. Sriracha works surprisingly well as an add-on after it's cooked.
Steps:
- Prep meat and vegetables
For meat: Cut into small chunks so they're easier to work with in the pot, make sure to keep any bones to flavor the broth
For veg: Dice, mince, quarter, or chop as specified. If the vegetable you're using isn't listed, probably a safe bet to dice it. - Heat up dutch oven or soup pot over medium-high heat until hot
- Add some olive oil and the vegetables in, saute until soft (about 10 minutes)
- Take out vegetables and reserve for later, add in more olive oil and brown the meat for at least two minutes per side.
Avoid overcrowding pan or meat juices will cause meat to boil; you want it to brown (the crispier the better). - Remove meat, add in some stock and deglaze bottom of pan.
- Add in the rest of stock, the reserved meat, the reserved vegetables, and the herbs. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover.
- Simmer for 2 - 3 hours, stirring occasionally to make sure nothing sticks to pan.
Add in the beer about one hour before you intend on serving, so the alcohol has time to cook out and the flavor melds properly. - Before serving, fish out any bones and bay leaves and strip the meat from the bones. Salt and pepper to taste. Skim the fat off the top if it's not to your taste, otherwise plate and serve immediately with rice or mash potatoes and a nice salad.