Help - beef stew lacks flavour

[ImpYCelyn]

I was hoping for a nice rich stew, instead it's a bit weak and watery. It's been in the slow cooker since 12.30, and first portion will go to DS in 45mins-1hr.

What can I put in it to bolster the flavour a bit please?

I used beer and veg stock (don't have low salt beef). There's pots, carrots, broccoli and shallot in it, as well as the beef.

Thanks in advance :)

My DP is the expert at fixing stews, chuck in some paprika and ginger powder. Maybe add a little bit of cornflower, mixed with a bit of cold water first, to thicken up the stew.

cornflower and worcester sauce

Oh and maybe some thyme and a bay leaf

Big squeeze of brown sauce

Soy sauce - about 10% of the ratio of your stock - so if you put 200ml of stock in, you want 20ml soy sauce.

Although this rather scuppers the low salt stock!

Mustard?

Spoon of marmite or a stock cube?

I have some kind of salty teriyaki sauce in my fridge which I chuck in to stuff when it needs a bit of oomph!

Oxo cube, worcester sauce, tomato puree etc.

You got any herbs in it?

YY to brown sauce :)

Yy brown sauce or stock cube.

Oddly enough French onion soup mix works great!

What jareth said

Oh so many replies!

Thank you all so much, I'm going to see what's in the cupboards and throw stuff in (carefully)

Thanks again :o

spoon of pickle/random chutney often helps. ditto a sloosh of balsamic vinegar.

Well I got a bit carried away, but it really lacked flavour.

I've thrown in a load of tomato puree, worcester sauce, ginger, paprika, cornflower mixed with water and english mustard, and more herbs and black pepper - it's finally starting to taste half decent.

I'll check it again in 30mins and see if it needs more.

Thanks everyone :)

it needs salt.

There, I said it, I said the non mn thing - SALT!!!!

A tablespoon of tomato purée and some seasoning will sort it out

mmmmmmsalt!

I know it needs salt, but the baby is having some too...

My constant cooking dilemma.

I will put more salt in it once his portion is out (and then DH will put even mire in his).

Yep, salt, pepper, tomato puree, beef stock and corn flour or gravy granules.

Next time put a big glass of red wine in (half stock, half wine). The alcohol will evaporate.

For Future Reference: please, never put broccoli in stew, it's not actually a good taste, best to cook briefly, separately.

have you rescued the stew? Hope you did not take everyone's advice and add brown sauce, soy sauce, marmite AND ginger

my babies ate normal salt food when they were about 9 months, why is that not o.k.? (bit late now they are 6 and 9 just curious)

Salt, red wine and red currant jelly.

Broccoli in the stew
Yes, needs salt. Baby will eat only a tiny portion of it and assuming that you're generally careful about his/her salt intake, it will not harm him

And yes, agree about lots of red wine. I also add 2 or 3 grains of allspice which does wonders for all sorts of stew. Bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, bit of garlic, even a bit of bacon. Thicken with flour.

thicken it with some gray ganules