When it comes to beef stew, there are actually a lot of little details you need to pay attention to if you want your dish to be a hit, not a disappointment
These are some of the common mistakes you're probably making with your beef stew, and what to do instead for the perfect dish
When looking for stew meat, skip the fancy steak and look for a heartier, tougher cut of beef
You want meat that has a lot of collagen-rich connective tissue, which will break down over the low and slow cooking period
leading to chunks of beef that are tender and flavorful, not dry and tough
turn to cuts like a chuck roast or a round roast. Both of these meats are tough and chewy if you
cook them up quickly, but cook them slowly and the collagen and fat within melts and tenderizes
the protein, while also adding lots of flavor and body to the broth of your stew. These cuts
are also usually much cheaper per pound than the fancier steaks on the market, which only adds to
their appeal as stew meat. It's definitely tempting to throw all of your beef stew ingredients into
the pot all at once and to start cooking right away, and many recipes tell you to do just that
But if you simply set and forget your stew, you're missing out on a lot of flavor
To add a depth of savory, meaty flavor to your beef stew, you should always sear your meat before you start the braising process
You can brown your beef right in the same pot you're going to make the stew in. Add the cubed, seasoned meat in batches to a pot over medium-high heat
letting it caramelize on the outside but not cooking it through. Remove the seared beef and repeat until all of it is finished
Make sure you don't overcrowd the pan. The caramelization process adds extra depth of flavor to your stew and the brown bits at the bottom of the pan can be scraped up with a wooden spoon when you add the broth which will infuse the liquid with even more rich flavor
If you're using a slow cooker, it's still worth it to sear your meat before adding it
to the pot. And don't forget to deglaze the pan you use to sear the beef, adding the prized liquid
to the slow cooker too before continuing on. A little extra time and effort can take your beef stew from tasting like something that
could have come out of a can to something you could imagine serving company alongside a nice
bottle of red wine and some crusty bread. The secret? You need to cook with plenty of aromatics
like onion, garlic, fresh herbs, and spices. Sear your beef first. Then, saute onions, garlic
carrots, and celery in the beef fat, scraping the browned bits up from the bottom as you go
When the veggies are somewhat softened, add your spices. This way, their flavors will infuse the
oil. You can go in several directions with the spices you use. Garlic powder, onion powder
black pepper, smoked paprika, and dried bay leaf all work very well. Or you could take things in
another direction and add cumin, coriander, star anise, and cinnamon for a more Moroccan flair
Unlike with a roast or a steak, where the flavor of your dish is concentrated on the surface of the
meat, in a beef stew you need to focus on the liquid that all of the ingredients are being
cooked in if you want to make sure it's infused with flavor. That being said, there are some things to look out for
Store-bought stock can be overly salty. If you're already salting the rest of the ingredients as you prepare them, adding a
store stock might make the dish a little too salty This is especially true if you plan on reducing your stew to thicken the broth As the water evaporates out of the stew the salty flavor will become concentrated If you want to use a store stock look for low or unsalted varieties
so you can adjust the seasoning to taste instead of having to rely on whatever's in the can or
carton. You also shouldn't use plain water to make your beef stew. Yes, the meat and veggies
will be able to impart some flavor in the liquid, but it still won't reach its flavor potential
If you need a substitute for beef stock, even swapping it for chicken, veggie
or mushroom stock is better than nothing. You can also use plain water with bouillon cubes
paste, or powder added, though again, you need to watch out for the salt level
When we think of a perfect beef stew, we imagine succulent bites of meat
slightly sweet, tender vegetables, and a rich, silky broth holding everything together
You want a velvety, slightly thickened broth that has a lip-smacking viscosity
not one that turns into a thick paste once it starts to get cold. It's so thick
Some recipes advise using flour, a cornstarch slurry, or a roux to give your stew's broth some heft
but those starchy solutions can lead to trouble. Your beef stew shouldn't be thick and gloppy like a can of dog food when it's done cooking
and using a heavy hand with those shortcut thickening methods can do just that. They
can also dull the flavor of your broth, obscuring the rich, meaty tastes you worked so hard to
develop with blandness Your stew broth should naturally thicken while cooking thanks to the release of starch from the potatoes in your stew and also from the collagen that cooks out of the meat adding body to your liquid Choosing a well cut of meat means
that your stew will have a luxurious, rich texture, thanks to the collagen, gelatin
and beef fat that renders out as your stew cooks at a low and slow temperature. But it can also mean
that when your stew is done cooking, there's a thick sheen of fat floating on top, which is
not exactly appetizing. That's why, once your stew is cooked, you should use a spoon to skim
off the fat that's floating on the top of the broth. You can also trim off any large pieces of
fat that are on your stew beef before you sear and cook it, so that it never ends up swamping
your stew in the first place. If you want to make the process even easier, you can pop your stew in
the refrigerator. The fat will rise to the top and congeal. Then, you can scrape the firm layer of
fat from the top of your pot. When you reheat the stew, the extra fat will be gone, letting the
meaty richness of the broth shine through. You might not think it, but adding a little something
tangy to your beef stew will give a subtle brightness to a heavy dish. There are a few
different ways you can add acid to your beef stew. You can add diced tomatoes, tomato paste
or some red wine into the pot at the beginning of cooking. As the stew simmers, the harsh acidity
will be toned down, until you're left with just a kick at the end of cooking, which will liven up
the flavor and add some brightness to the dish. You can also add a splash of vinegar at the end
of cooking if you taste your stew and realize it still needs that little extra something
Get some raw veggies, bacon, a cup of soup. Maybe I had a stew going