Beef Stew

[Nearlyadoctor]

After reading another thread it seems a lot of posters are having beef stew tonight done in the slow cooker. Does anyone have a fail safe recipe please . Whenever I try to do one it always come out too watery no matter how little liquid I use.

Use v v little liquid in a slow cooker as it doesn’t evaporate like other cooking methods.
Put beef in a freezer bag with seasoning and cornflour, shake around, then brown in the pot part of slow cooker on high heat hob with knob of butter & onion (if pot bit is removable)use a wooden spatula to move beef around.
Put pot back into slow cooker once browned add sliced potatoes, carrots etc leave on long setting. I only put 30ml liquid in, water/milk/stock granules. When cooked you can make a gravy to add in desired amount if not liquid enough. It cooks the beef really nicely.

Made one last week...BBC recipe with tomato puree, worcestershire sauce, Guinness and some whole grain mustard. Got 2 portions left in the freezer and will have one tomorrow along with some mash and mustard and cheese topped leftover baguette.

We give everything a good fried first and pop it in the slow cooker. About two hours before serving we move the lid so there's an opening and let the juices reduce that way.

Shin or skirt are what you want. Brisket if it’s in a big (rolled) lump. Personally I think topside is only good for stewing but I recognise that might be a bit OTT. But a proper butcher will tell you if you ask them.

Flour it and fry it off before you add all the other stuff; thickens and adds flavour. Good splash of wine ditto.

If you can get a marrowbone to throw in then all to the good.

My mother tossed the meat in seasoned plain flour before browning it with the onion. The rest, carrot, pearl barley and red lentils, OXO and water.

Agree 100% with thus. I always get the beef shin from Sainsburys for stew and its lovely

My go-to cut for a beef stew is shin or brisket. Occasionally braising steak if it is on offer. Or sometimes I will just look at all of it and buy whatever is the cheapest per kilo.

If it's too lean I add some chopped bacon or pancetta and it seems to help break it down
I don't know the science behind it but it always tastes good!

No, farm shop. But shin is the same price as stewing beef from a supermarket (but much, much nicer).

Ooh I like this recipe - is stout much better than red wine?

Tesco do both lean and 'normal' beef .
Bought two packs yesterday
£4.19 for 350g or may be 400g in a pkt .

If you're looking for a specific cut you need shin of beef. Brisket is a nice marbled cut that is usually rolled and cooked as a joint in the same way as a stew.

Waitrose sell Aberdeen Angus chunks on their butchery counter that cook up lovely and tender.

I just chuck a bit of bisto in near the end to thicken it up.

I think beef stew is a bit like soup and more about using up what you have than following a recipe.

In asda yesterday they had 'stewing steak' which described itself as lean

Then on another shelf had 'braising steak'

I didnt look at either too closely because I wasnt looking for beef or cooking a stew, I just noticed it and wondered waht braising steak is and wondered if it was a nice bit of fatty beef for a stew

I have a tendency sometimes to wander down aisles that I dont need wondering about all the items and seeing whats new!!

Use a stock pot instead of cube and don't dissolve it beforehand. There is a lot of liquid in all the veg and it doesn't evaporate like in a pan, so you want to add as little as possible. You can always add more later if it isn't juicy enough.

Another vote for the bbc good food beef stew. I don't even brown anything, just chuck it all in the slow cooker and bobs your uncle.
I do add a bit of bisto beef gravy powder 1/2 before the end to thicken it.

Skirt or shin is my choice for a beef casserole, skirt preferably.

I can't get on with a slow cooker, bought another one recently and returned it as it was fierce on the low setting. I cook in my small low oven in a le cruset pot.

My secret ingredient in a beef stew is a small turnip cut into small chunks, it disappears into the liquid and makes it richer. Not sure where I read that many years ago but it works.

This never fails.

Put the (400g) beef in a bowl with a tablespoon of cornflour and tablespoon of bisto powder and mix to coat.

Brown in a little oil in a frying pan. Add chopped onion. (And a 4 link sausages and a chopped carrot if you like). (Sometimes I also add some baby potatoes as well)

(Just) Cover with boiling water and add a beef stock pot.

Pop in slow cooker on low for 8 hours.

Just before serving stir in 3-4 teaspoons of bisto gravy granules.

Serve with mashed tatties and greens.

It’s not better exactly but different. More of a rounded flavour, less acidic, though guess it depends what wine you use. Mainly I find a bottle of stout easy to keep in the cupboard whereas wine gets drunk!!

I also put a teaspoon of Marmite in my stews along with Worcestershire sauce and a stock pod.

I think with slow cooker you really have to slap in the flavours and make sure some are added right towards the end, like an extra splash of wine/fresh herbs/Worcestershire (or all of them)

Lean stewing beef is rubbish, as others have said shin or rib trimmings are a whole different game. I used to brown meat but when busy tend to just roll it in flour before putting it in, it does help thicken.

I usually find anything that doesn't specifically state lean isn't so buy that!

Thank you everyone for all your advice and suggestions, I’ll have another try.

You want:

• a fairly cheap, fatty cut of beef. Cut off any obvious wodges of fat (render them for amazing tallow to cook with), but you need the marbling of fat for flavour & texture
• sit the beef on top of a heap of veggies (onion, carrot, celeriac, green pepper, garlic cloves). They should be peeled etc but cut into good size chunks. If you have silverskin onions, they add a nice twang - add these whole.
• one glass of red wine is PLENTY liquid, but an additional dash of balsamic vinegar is good too. Or Hendos/worcester sauce. Chuck in 1-2 tablespoons of tomato puree.
• add some stealthy background heat - sneak in a dried habanero or two. Fish out before serving. Be generous with pepper (preferably crushed peppercorns) but miserly with salt.
• don't fanny about searing meat etc. Yes yes maillard reaction is great, but not so's you'd notice after hours of simmering to 'slice with a teaspoon' tenderness.
• slow cook ALL DAY. You might need to top up the liquid slightly - use chicken/veg stock, minimally.
• chuck a handful of chopped leafy parsley on top before serving. It adds a green freshness. You can also - cautiously - add the juice of half a lemon to wake the flavours up further.
• serve with mash & steamed, buttery cabbage

This but also add half a cup of soup mix and an extra cup of water.

Turn off slow cooker an hour before you want to eat and leave to cool a bit. Fish out the meat and put the wet stuff in a big saucepan, bring to boil and adjust seasoning:- salt, spice, acid, sweet. The meat slices nicer when cooler. mix everything up again and serve.