How do you cook stew? Ive started but am stuck!

[TambaTheTemptress]

Got beef

put in pan of water and gravy stuff

peeled carrots, potaotes and onion

Stuck that in there too.

How do i know when the beef is cooked? How long should it take to cook? Do i need to put anything else in? What have I undoubtably done wrong?

(I was guedding thats how you make it!)

[alexsmum]

did you brown the beef first?

[alexsmum]

what kind of beef is it? usually at least an hour or two.

[Dinosaur]

Have you put in a stock cube or something similar to give it some flavour? If not, do!

Also, if you find it's a bit too liquidy, you can mix some cornflour with cold water until it forms a smooth paste and add that gradually to thicken it up.

[Nbg]

I hope you don't want to eat it soon.

Stewing beef normally takes a good 2 hours to cook until tender otherwise it's as tough as old boots.

If I don't slow cook it I normally par boil the pots and veg.

[edodgy]

Stick some red wine in it too if you have any.

[TambaTheTemptress]

Its stewing steak

Didnt brown it first - should I have done???

Its been on about half an hour

The kids are starving

I put some gravy granuels in it

[edodgy]

I agree i normally leave stew for 3-4 hours so meat is really tender.

[vickiyumyum]

oops maybe have it for tea tomorrow, night and something out of the freezer for tonight! it taste better the next day anyway, i would cook it for a couple of hours now and then tomorrow cook for a couple of hours again. i also put other root vege in sucha s swede, parsnips and leeks.

[groat]

I'd make something else quick. It won't be ready until a lot later!!!!

[TambaTheTemptress]

Shit! 3-4 hours??????

its only little pieces of meat though....

How long will it have to me on for me to get ediable meat rather than yummy delcious meat?

Kids are tired and hungrey and its alreadt past ds2's bedtime!

(note to self - think ahead next time!!!)

[Nbg]

You don't have to brown it but some people like to seal it before cooking.

I find that if you put the meat in the pot first, then pour in the gravy, the heat seals the meat and browns it straight away.


Tip; Stew always tastes better the next day so you could give the kids something else and whats left they could have tomorrow.
Yumm

[Nbg]

Vickiyumyum!

[TambaTheTemptress]

hmmm I put the meat into cold water and gravy granuels and let it boil....

I spent ages peeling bloody potatoes!!!!

Kids will have to have something on toast then, and me and dh can eat later.

[jessicaandrebeccasmummy]

Tamba, word of warning for future, if you want stew, stick it in first thing on low heat and forget about it!

[Bax]

tamba what time is ds2's bedtime if he's alrady past it?

[TambaTheTemptress]

He goes up to bed at 5.30pm

[Nbg]

Not to worry.

You and your dh will have a tasty meal later.

Take a piece of meat out at 6:30ish and test it.

[LIZS]

I normally give it at least an hour following browning meat, frying the onion until softening and bringing to simmer, less if it doen in the pressure cooker. From cold you are looking at at least a couple of hours , sorry.

[TambaTheTemptress]

I just took some out and nibbled it, it was cooked but quite tough (was a very small piece though - the rest are bigger some in guessing they wont be cooked yet)

It is covered over though, does that make a difference?

The veg isnt cooked yet though!

Oh well, of to give dh the news that he will starve for another hour and a half and that he has to cook the kids some tea!

[alexsmum]

i normally fry th onions and the carrots and then brown the meat.it's a good idea to roll the meat in flour first and then brown it.Then make up your stock so its boiling-rather than cold water, and add to the meat and carrotsetc. then add other veg.need sa good couple of hours.i usually stick a bit of wine in too- the alcohol helps tenderise the meat.my mum does a lovely one where she cooks the beef in a can of guinness.that has to be cooked for ages- i tried it once and didn't do it for long enough and it ws so bitter it was yuck!

[alexsmum]

send him to the chippy!
5.30 bedtime
what time does he get up in the morning?

[Hulababy]

I normally allow a good 2 hours for a casserole. I will put some oil in a pan and heat it up. I then throw in some chopped meat, onions, and then the veggies (potato, carrot, squash, swede, parsnip, etc.). I let them cook together for a bit and then add the stock (normally water/stock cubes here). I will throw in some herbs, a dash of pepper and a splash of Hendersons relish/Worcestershire sauce. And then pop it all into the oven for about 2 hours, so that the veggies and the meat go really soft and tasty.

TBH for you toda I would look for an alternative dinner. Then leave your casserole/stew in the ovn for a couple of hours tonight. Then tomorrow pop it back in the oven for half an hour or so (can be as long as you like almost, so long as you check on the liquid level) until warmed through.

Casseroles seem to just get tastier with time.

[TambaTheTemptress]

He gets up at 9am (when I do! I think he knows that its pointless getting up any earlier as mommy is grumpy lol)

Have sent dh to cook something for the boys so they can get to bed, they are grumpy! Doesnt help that the dinner smells so good!

[alexsmum]

5.30 9.00!
you lucky lucky girl!!

[TambaTheTemptress]

DS1 though, is a really bad sleeper, he stays awake til about 11pm and wakes through the night... hes 3.5

Ds2 wakes in the night a couple of times for a drink but goes straight back off.