Slow-cooker beef stew!
Posted: Sat Nov 12, 2016 6:57 am
That's what I'm making this morning, after I keg the batch of Rhino IPA.
I found a site that offered not a recipe, but a road map for creating stew, which I find more helpful (and is how I often look at recipes/cookbooks anyway). It offers options that I can choose from. For instance, instead of saying to add X amount of potato and carrots, it says "you want to add a certain amount of root vegetables, and these are some you can choose from." Same with the spices and other flavorings. "Add X amount of liquid, such as wine, beer, or broth." I like that, because it guides me through the skeleton of a good beef stew, but keeps me in control of the actual outcome.
Now, I like what I consider a traditional stew. I know I could use squash or pumpkin, and they'd make it different and be good, but I just like potatoes, carrots, and celery. Onions and garlic, too, of course. And I'll be browning the meat first in a cast-iron skillet using the "sweat and deglaze" method, adding liquid, letting it reduce on the heat, stirring the meat until it's burnt-looking, then repeating the process a couple more times. It really flavors the meat deeply. And I'm using Guinness as my liquid, so it'll be nice and robust.
I'm the only one in the house who likes beef stew, so I only have to please myself. And I'll be making so much of it, that I'll be able to portion it out and freeze it for quick, hearty winter meals.
I found a site that offered not a recipe, but a road map for creating stew, which I find more helpful (and is how I often look at recipes/cookbooks anyway). It offers options that I can choose from. For instance, instead of saying to add X amount of potato and carrots, it says "you want to add a certain amount of root vegetables, and these are some you can choose from." Same with the spices and other flavorings. "Add X amount of liquid, such as wine, beer, or broth." I like that, because it guides me through the skeleton of a good beef stew, but keeps me in control of the actual outcome.
Now, I like what I consider a traditional stew. I know I could use squash or pumpkin, and they'd make it different and be good, but I just like potatoes, carrots, and celery. Onions and garlic, too, of course. And I'll be browning the meat first in a cast-iron skillet using the "sweat and deglaze" method, adding liquid, letting it reduce on the heat, stirring the meat until it's burnt-looking, then repeating the process a couple more times. It really flavors the meat deeply. And I'm using Guinness as my liquid, so it'll be nice and robust.
I'm the only one in the house who likes beef stew, so I only have to please myself. And I'll be making so much of it, that I'll be able to portion it out and freeze it for quick, hearty winter meals.
