BEEF STEW recipes required please

[TheMaskedPoster]

having NEVER made a beef stew (I know, I know) I have the urge to attempt one this week (must be the weather).

All recipes and/or links appreciated

Ta muchly

SMS I'll do a wee bump for you

the only thing I find in the browing/non-brownign debate is that the meat has a better texture when it is sealed on the outside. THe flavour doesn't seem to be different, but the meat looks better and less palid/floppy is the best I can describe it.

On the other hand the way my dad sometimes over-browns it, makes it 'tense up' and become hard and chewy.

It's a hard one.

imho the quick seal followed by the long slow fuck ahem cook makes the perfect tender stew.

Sorry mind drifted off a bit there.

SLUB!!!!

am ROFL

you wicked thing, you

Slubs with a mind like that I have to say hat I now think that THE doll whas yours...you are confusing teh kitchen and bedroom too much....

See that wouldbe my other worry....overdo the browning and you end up with chewy lumps...

I am thinking if it aint broke (and you don't create extra washing up) don't fix it....

[denies doll again]

The confusion occured as DH would become most amorous if presented with a beef and ale stew.

Funnily enough I have a kilo of stewing beef and some bottles of Leffe still in the fridge.

TMP .. my casserole dish is Le Creuset so is ok on hob and in oven

Is it as good as it's supposed to be?

Hob to ovenware would be heaven.

Keep a look out on Amazon for casserole dishes as they sometimes have them on offer. I got a huuuge Chasseur one (identical to Le Creuset as far as I can see) for under £50 reduced from almost £100. I've used it so much and it looks really great.

BTW tried onion dumplings last week - fry a finely chopped onion until caramelised then add it to normal dumpling ingredients. If you leave the lid off in the oven while they're cooking they go all crunchy and are YUM.

sadly I can't even stretch that far atm - when I get job though will keep look out thanks for that.

Are they cheaper in France do you know (sounds like French make) usually stock up on cookware there in summer - get some real bargins. Especially on the silcon stuff - 5 euros a piece some of it!

Browning doesn't 'seal' the meat. The high temperature causes the Maillard reaction

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction

Yum tasty chemistry.

yes it is as good as they say

agree with daisymoo about keeping an eye on amazon deals ... I got mine from there .. its 24cm (3 litres) and big enough for 4 of us easily .. I think I got it for about £45 .. worth the investment

OOh - I am definitely going to purchase some good hob/oven ware very shortly

oh no, no more cheapo woolworths casserole dishes for me - I've had it with the Pyrex and now want Le Creuset.

gonna have a lookee on Amazon and the like now (and if I have no joy - I am off to Bentalls this week to fullfill my whim)

I got embarrassingly excited about my casserole If we ever had a fire I would definitely rescue that and my Kenwood Chef before anything else (well, maybe apart from the dcs )

I don't know whether they're any cheaper in France, but I'm off on a little jaunt there in a few weeks and will have a look if I remember.

DaisyMoo, I have 3 Arcoflam casseroles (oven to table bakeware) that I got from John Lewis (now sadly discontinued) but as they are a French company you may have more luck on your jaunt. They are much lighter than Le creuset so easier to man handle (but don't keep in the heat as well). They don't look nearly as beuutiful on your table either but are much cheaper than Le Creuset.

I'm rather sad to have just discovered that JL no longer sells them.

Don't know where you are in the UK, but there is a Le Creuset outlet shop at Cheshire Oaks Shopping Village (that sells all the seconds and stuff). I am eying up some beautiful oval mahoosive casseroles as a potential Christmas pressie.

More things to add to my shopping list along with lots of wine and cheese, floor tiles and maybe some toulouse sausages. I wonder if I could leave ds there and bring back a big bag instead

you shoudl see the look on FIL's face every time me and MIL go shopping in France. The fear as he tries to fit it all in the car and wonders which one of us to leave behind.

He did veto the wendy house last year though.

Well we're flying so reaaally limited as to what I can bring back. Although we did only get back from Normandy a few weeks ago and have already polished off virtually everything apart from a few bottles of beer

I have just seen that Tesco Finest do a cast iron (enamel coated) casserole at £27 (23cm) cp to the le creusett one for £100. I might be tempted to give that a try next time I smash my pyrex one (in about a month given my history with casserole dishes [blushes])

Ikea do a really nice Le Creuset type pot for £25. It's quite heavy though.

these are good - will look out for them.

There is something about the name 'le Creuset' though and the boasting I would be able to do.

I'm a le Creuset snob - when a visiting relation asked me if that was a "le Creuset type pot" I left her in no doubt that it was an Actual Le Creuset Pot.

(I have 2, boast boast)

Abbode has some sort-of-slightly-cheaper-than-normal ones. Dunno what they charge for delivery though. (The shop is near me and I bought one of mine from there)

ok - since this thread I have discovered the marvells that are Stews and casseroles and do believe we have lived on nothing else since (ooo AND a brand new huge casserole dish)

just to say had this last night and it was DIVINE!

(had to share the pleasure)

It's rare on MN that I think I could win a one-up-manship contest, but I have 7 le creset casserole dishes - PLEASE can I win this one

Better go and make beef stew now