Slow cooker beef stew so tough! Can I rescue it?

[ADelicateFlower]

Lovely stew, delicious gravy but the meat is like shoe leather. I cooked it for 3 hours but there’s half left over. Can I do anything to tenderise the second batch?

I bought the most expensive beef in the supermarket but it’s crap. Never again!

Leave it in for longer? My slow cooker stew tends to go on about 10am until 5pm. Beef is always falling apart!

3 hours at low in slow cooker? That's not very long. You could put it back in for another few hours.

Or it could be that you didn't get stewing beef - you want something a bit fatty & suited to slow cooking. Maybe shin. (It's not usually the most expensive)

For slow cooking it’s best to use cheaper cuts of meat. I usually brown meat in frying pan first before putting in slow cooker and it usually takes 6-8 hours.

3 hours is not very long. Needs more like 6.

What cut did you use? Expensive beef is wasted slow cooking - you want something fatty and sinewy that will slowly break down with slow cooking. Brisket, shin, chuck steak or similar.

Thanks all. I followed the recipe in my slow cooker recipe book, which said 3 hours on high. I got stewing beef.

Will put the rest back in for longer! Thanks for advice!

I wouldn't cook it on high. Stew is meant to cook gently for several hours. I would turn it down as soon as it was simmering and leave it for about 6 hours minimum.

Nowhere near long enough, I cook for a few hours on high then switch to low for about 4/5 hours.

Hi, it was in a slow cooker - I was following a recipe. Yes, I made one in the job last week & simmered for a few hours and it was perfect.

Just updating to remind myself in future..,
You were all right! I put the remaining half on low with a bit of extra wine and stock for hours and hours yesterday, and it was perfect. OMG sooo delicious! Will make it again soon.

Thanks for the tip - was obvious, really!

I let beef stew cook for an average 8 hours in a slow cooker on low. Really brings the flavour out and the meat is incredibly tender.

As others have said, three hours is not nearly long enough. We are having slow cooked beef this evening. I put it on about two hours ago.

Yes! The remaining half of that stew must have had at least 10 hours and it made a massive difference. Unrecognisable!

I’m surprised a slow cooker cookbook recommended 3 hours tbh. Wonder if they had tried their own recipe?!

Glad you salvaged it, love a slow cooker stew, even better with crusty bread dunked in!!!

Ooohhh yes, delicious with crusty bread.
I made dumplings with lady night’s. Add for 1-2 hours towards end. Hmmm yum!
Must make it again soon.
That, and stifado!

Glad it worked out. But for record, most supermarkets' stewing beef is awful - not enough fat. I find it always comes out tough or dry or both. You are far better off with shin or similar for beef.

Yes, I was desperate! It’s all they had...

Saying that, it was actually tender and not at all dry last night...

Don't use supermarket beef for stew it's awful and its cut too small . Visit your Butcher and he/she will recommend what you need for a good price and cut it to a decent chunky size .

Yeah thanks, there was a reason for using supermarket beef - butcher was closed, obviously I would have!