ISO help/advice making beef stew

[jes]

I have made a beef stew a few times and it works well but each time I get alot of burned ingredient sticking to the bottom of the pan. I wonder if anyone can tell me how to avoid this.

 

[pacanis]

Turn down the heat and stir more often.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I make mine in the oven.

 

[jes]

I suppose that less heat and more stirring makes sense. I should try it in the oven too.

What has me so befuddled about this is that there is so much liquid in there.

 

[Dawgluver]

Slow cooker makes a great beef stew, no stirring needed. And you don't add as much liquid.

 

[jes]

I could try that. I am quit new to stews.

 

[Dawgluver]

I could try that. I am quit new to stews.

Oh my. We have some great recipes here, check out the Slow Cooker thread! Go to Recipes, then Soups, Stews, and Casseroles, then select Slow Cookers.

BTW, welcome to DC!

 

[pacanis]

I suppose that less heat and more stirring makes sense. I should try it in the oven too.

What has me so befuddled about this is that there is so much liquid in there.

When you see too much liquid, take the lid off. Evaporation is your friend... unless it looks dry

 

[jennyema]

Oven, for sure.

It prevents burning on the bottom.

 

[jes]

Interesting. About 350 for an hour or so?

 

[Aunt Bea]

I go 350 for an hour and a half.

I make a fairly small amount.

12 oz of stew meat (raw)
2 carrots chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
Several small onions
a bay leaf
S & P
one can of cream of tomato soup undiluted. (or equivalent tomato sauce)

I serve it with mashed potato. You could cut up a couple and put them in if you like.

This is from an old church cookbook that my mother had. It was called something like washday stew or lazy day stew.

 

[Bolas De Fraile]

I have made a beef stew a few times and it works well but each time I get alot of burned ingredient sticking to the bottom of the pan. I wonder if anyone can tell me how to avoid this.

I use shin beef for my Daube, I do not flour my meat, I fry my meat first in batches using bacon grease or goose fat, I then fry my veg to a good color in the residual fat. I then add wine or stock and boil to remove the alcohol and melt the caramelized bits, this should also be done to reduce the liquid to the correct amount. I then add cold roux pellets to thicken, add the meat, put the lid on the pot and seal with a flour paste. It is then put in a low oven for 6 hrs, taken it out and leave on the pantry floor for 24 hrs.
To reheat I take the lid off bring to a gentle simmer and then add the fresh Bouquet Garni for about 30 mins. I prefer to add the B/G at the end so the herb flavor is fresh.

 

[Luca Lazzari]

… I fry my meat first in batches using bacon grease or goose fat…

Goose fat. Bolas, I simply love you.

 

[jes]

I go 350 for an hour and a half.

I make a fairly small amount.

12 oz of stew meat (raw)
2 carrots chopped
2 stalks of celery chopped
Several small onions
a bay leaf
S & P

This is, mostly, my recipe (rosemary replaces the bay leaf) but I have been doing it on the stove-top.

Would 3 hours at 300 in the oven be even tastier than an hour and a half at 350?

 

[Andy M.]

As the saying goes, cook it until it's done. The point of slow cooking in the oven is to break down the connective tissue in the meat so it's more tender and to draw flavors out of the other ingredients. If you cook it too long, the meat and veggies will disintegrate or get super mushy.

With the meat in a stew cut up in about one inch pieces, it won't take very long to get where you want to be. Cook it at 300º F until the meat is tender.

 

[CharlieD]

... goose fat ...

I'm comming for visit. I think last time I saw goose fat was more than 20 years ago.

 

[CharlieD]

JES, I guess the first question I would ask is what kind of pot are you using? Unless I missed that.

 

[jes]

I am using a steel sauce pan right now. This can change, if needed.

 

[CharlieD]

Yeah, the way I see it that is your problem. Not even sure if steering or lowering the heat will help. You really need to consider a dutch oven or even non-stick pot for a stew, any stew. Something with thick bottom.

 

[jes]

I understand. Would oven heat make a difference?