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[jdmessner]

I attend lunch every once and a while at the local senior center. I was a little insulted that they never asked for my ID and just assumed I qualified! I have found that if you want to know what is going on in the area (along with a complete commentary) there will be no shortage of people in the know!!

In November they have a beef stew dinner as a fundraiser. I was asked to make the stew. I have made a lot of beef casseroles, but have not done a lot of what would be considered a traditional stew. Looking for any tips, recipes, or advice. I have plenty of time, so I thought I would try some test batches. Thanks in advance.

[BigDave83]

I have not made it in a long time, and I cheated when I did.

I would cube up both beef and pork, dredge well in seasoned flour. Oil or I usually had lard on hand, in a large heavy bottomed pot, I would brown all of the meat, in batches and adding more lard if needed, just try not to burn what is on the bottom of the  pot. Then add in beef broth, could probably add some wine of choice also I guess. and kind of deglaze the pan. Add in the meat and the taters carrots, onions, celery, peppers ( I am usually using some green but red and yellow also) a few cloves of chopped garlic and the secret ingredient, a couple packs of beef stew seasoning mix from the store, like McCormick. Then just allow it to cook until the veggies are where you like and it is thickened to your taste.

I know people that put cabbage and beans in it also, but I have not done that.

Head over to the bread thread and pick out a recipe for some sort  of crusty chewy bead to go with it. I cheated there also, I would find a loaf at the bakery.

Only tip I can really give is the same tip I give people when they ask about making chili. Be sure to have a pot at least 2 to 3 times larger than you think you're goint to  need. I learned that long ago after having to switch to lager pots once or twice during the cook.

[Hank D Thoreau]

Stew is one of my favorites. I came up with my recipe after being treated to a broth based stew by friends of my climbing partners in Bishop California, on the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.

This stew is made in a crock pot, but you could probably make it in a big pot on the stove, or a pressure cooker. I just don't know the timing.

I prefer the brothy base over a thickened stew. This is a healthy dish with lots of vegetables, low carbs and low fat. You can even leave out the meat if you want a really reduce the calories.

I make it as follows:

2 pounds of beef stew meat (I used to rotate weekly between beef, chicken and pork, but beef is best)
Large slices of the following. The key is to keep the pieces large to help hold them together, and so each bite is different. This is not a homogenized dish like many stews.
Zucchini (Maximize the peel in the slices to help hold the zucchini together during cooking. I do 1 1/2 to 2 inch slices. Zucchini is a dominate feature of this stew and works because it is broth based.)
Onions (cut in wedges)
Carrots (I like large carrots cut in 1 1/2 to 2 inch pieces)
Green beans
Tomatoes (cut in wedges)
Corn from the cob (as a sweetener for a lower carb stew without potatoes)
Potatoes (I occasionally add potatoes but prefer the low carb variant)
Cabbage (cut in wedges and layer, don't shred)
Garlic

Mix the vegetables on the bottom adding the cabbage as a layer on top. Vegetables cook the slowest.
I then layer the meat on top of the cabbage.
I make the broth using one can of vegetable broth and one can of V8 juice. I add Tiger sauce to add some bite. (It is important to use vegetable broth and not beef or chicken. Vegetable broth blends better with the V8.)
I spice with pepper. Sometimes I add some bay leaves from the garden. I do not add salt. There is enough salt already in the broth.

Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours, allow to cool and mix. Serve in a bowl since it is broth based.

This is definitely not your typical stew. It is a nice chunky stew with a flavorful broth. It is the type of stew where you can stab the ingredients with a fork.

You can add or subtract vegetables based on what you like. Celery is good but I don't use enough to buy it. I add it when I have some. I have added yucca root as a starch, but it is tougher than potatoes.

Basically, put in whatever vegetables you like. It is easy to experiment. Skip broccoli, though. Broccoli would overwhelm the stew.

[Bentley]

I think it all comes down to what do you want in it?  It can be as simple as meat, onions and potatoes with a thicknin gravy base, or you can throw in the whole kitchen sink.  I lean towards the simpler stew, as I want the meat to be what shines.  Brisket works wonderful as a stew meat so does Chuck.  It used to also be the cheapest cut that would still have fat and flavor, but those day are gone for a few more months. 

Will it be served over anything of is it just a bowl of stew they will get?

[Hank D Thoreau]

Stew has sooooooo many possible variations. Bentley likes the meat to shine. I like the vegetables. Then you get variants like Sheppard's Pie. Stew is one of those dishes that you can really get creative with.

I use the visualization method when I cook. I visualize what I like and then make it. I will use recipes, on occasion, for help in translating my vision. My stew is a perfect example of this. I visualized what I liked, and made it.

The big question is, are you going to make something the audience is used to, and comfortable with, or do something different? This is where knowing your audience helps.

[jdmessner]

Thanks for the input on the stews. There is a lot to consider. I think I will need to keep it fairly basic since it will be for a group with varying tastes.

I really like my wife's biscuits. I am hoping to talk her into making some to go with the stew.

The only real concern I have at this point is the thickness of the gravy. I don't want it too thin. I am hoping if I flour the beef, the fat I brown it in will be enough to do the trick. If needed I guess I could do a roux, but that is where experimentation comes in.

Thanks again. I will keep you updated on any test runs in the weeks ahead.

[Darwin]

I grew up with beef and chicken stews always thickened with dark roux.  I was confused the first time I had one that wasn't.   Most meals included rice and "gravy".   

[Kristin Meredith]

You may be planning on using beef stock or beef broth as your liquid, but I also think that water with "Better Than Bouillon" beef base gives good flavor to the gravy.

[jdmessner]

First round of experiments in the books. I did two stews yesterday. The first was a recipe sent to me by Trooper. It reminded me of my childhood, which makes sense because he got it from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. My mom and grandma used it religiously. It is very traditional, but I would not have thought to add parsnips and turnips, but they were a great compliment to the stew. It was very thick.

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[jdmessner]

The second effort was Hank's recipe. I loved the way it turned out. However, I think a lot of people in the the general public would consider it more of a soup than a stew. I will be earmarking the recipe for future reference.

[jdmessner]

The second effort was Hank's recipe. I loved the way it turned out. However, I think a lot of people in the the general public would consider it more of a soup than a stew. I will be earmarking the recipe for future reference.

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[WiPelletHead]

First round of experiments in the books. I did two stews yesterday. The first was a recipe sent to me by Trooper. It reminded me of my childhood, which makes sense because he got it from the Betty Crocker Cookbook. My mom and grandma used it religiously. It is very traditional, but I would not have thought to add parsnips and turnips, but they were a great compliment to the stew. It was very thick.

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That looks great. I could go for a big serving of that. 

[urnmor]

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That looks great. I could go for a big serving of that. 
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Me to

[pmillen]

I make a lot of stew, but I only make this once a year or so.  It's my favorite, but my other recipes are much faster and less "busy".

The transcription is from Chef Jean-Pierre's recipe from his YouTube video, here.

Ingredients
1 tablespoon of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
2 pounds of Beef Chuck Roast (well-trimmed & cut into approx. 1½ inch cubes)
20 Cipollini or Pearl Onions
½ pound of Button Mushrooms, cut into quarters (or sixths if big mushrooms)
2 tablespoons of fresh Garlic, minced
2 cups of Tomatoes (peeled, seeded and chopped) or one can of peeled and chopped Tomatoes
1 can of Cherry Tomatoes (optional)
½ cup (approx.) of Tomato Puree
1 teaspoon of Fresh Thyme, minced
1 teaspoon of Fresh Rosemary, minced
1 cup of good quality Port Wine
5 cups of Beef Stock (1 cup is reserved is needed to adjust consistency at the end)
1 Bay Leaf
½ cup of Flour
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
40 Baby Carrots (quantity was estimated by watching the video)
25 Brussels Sprouts (quantity was estimated by watching the video)
60 Tiny Potatoes (quantity was estimated by watching the video)
1 tablespoon Cornstarch, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water (ONLY if necessary)
2 tablespoons of chopped Parsley

Directions

• In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil and add as many meat cubes as you can without crowding.  (If the skillet is too crowded, the meat won't brown properly.)
• Brown the meat well on all sides, remove each batch as it browns and set them aside.  It may be necessary to add a little olive oil.
• When all the beef has been browned and removed, add the onions in the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are golden brown.
• Add the mushrooms and cook until they have released most of their water.
• Add the garlic and stir.
• When the garlic is fragrant (about 1 minute), add the tomatoes, the port wine and browned beef cubes.
• Add the tomato puree, thyme, rosemary, bay leaf & beef stock, bring them to a gentle boil.
• Immerse a fine mesh strainer in the pot and add the flour by using a whisk to force the flour through the strainer (add more flour if needed).
• Reduce the heat to low, let the mixture simmer for 2 to 2½ hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender.
• Separately boil Baby Carrots, Brussel Sprouts, and Small Potatoes for 10 minutes.
• Remove them from the water, rinse them with cold water, pat them dry and set them aside.
• Sauté the boiled Baby Carrots, Brussel Sprouts, and Small Potatoes.
• Adjust the stew thickness with corn starch or the extra stock if necessary.
• Plate the stew, add the Baby Carrots, Brussel Sprouts, and Small Potatoes to the plate and sprinkle freshly chopped parsley.

Tip
This is delicious served over mashed potatoes.

[Hank D Thoreau]

The second effort was Hank's recipe. I loved the way it turned out. However, I think a lot of people in the the general public would consider it more of a soup than a stew. I will be earmarking the recipe for future reference.

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I am glad you gave it a try. It is definitely not a typical stew, but stew does not require a thickened sauce. We are just accustomed to it being that way.

I make the pieces much larger. For instance, I find the biggest carrots in the bulk bin and cut them in one to two inch lengths depending on the size.

The same for the other vegetables. This helps the vegetables hang together. It also makes it so each bite is different. You have to pretty much eat one vegetable at a time.

I like the lack of homogeneity in this stew.