primitives discuss beef stew

[Wineslob]

A lot of people primitives don't, though.

FIFY


MY stew, for the DUmmies:

2-3 lbs cubed beef, fat trimmed

Dredge the beef in seasoned flour (S&P). For the stupid DUmbasses, it acts as the thickener. Brown (all sides) in the pot that will be used for the stew with some veg oil.

Add in diced celery, onions, and carrots. (mirepoix or holy trinity to throw the DUmmies into a fit) Continue to cook (turning the mess over now and then) the veggies until they just begin to cook.

Add enough beef stock (canned/or those box things) and red wine, I'll use a whole bottle, to cover. While it comes to a simmer peel and quarter Russet (5 or more to your own taste) potatos. Add in the taters. Simmer for 2 hours, or more, until the meat is falling apart.

I love a nice loaf of Sour Dough with it.

Thats about all I do. I just keep it simple.

[JakeStyle]

I'm sure I've seen a bazillion recipes for beef stew.
DUmmy Blues Heron has come up with the worst, bar none.
Anise? In beef stew? Peas?

Beef stew is one of a bunch of dishes that are great and so simple by just using a packet of McCormick's spices.

I have never tried anything in McCormick's product line that wasn't excellent.

Peas I can give the DUmmie a pass on, if they are used in moderation,  but the idea of star anise and cloves in beef stew grosses me out.  I nadined it and it looks like a lot of Asian stews feature anise.

[Celtic Rose]

Peas I can give the DUmmie a pass on, if they are used in moderation,  but the idea of star anise and cloves in beef stew grosses me out.  I nadined it and it looks like a lot of Asian stews feature anise.

I had "beef" stew at a vietnamese restaurant once, and it was the worst thing I ever tasted.  The saucy part was tasty and peppery, but they used tendons and fat for a good portion the meat.  I ended up eating the carrots and potatoes out of it and putting some of the liquid over rice.  The rest stayed in the bowl.


I'll admit that I've put bay leaves and thyme in my stews.  Other than that my stew recipe is close to Wineslobs, but with less wine and I'll use red or white potatoes depending on what I have on hand.

I see stew as being a recipe that one can mostly just throw together with what is on hand.

[franksolich]

I'll admit that I've put bay leaves and thyme in my stews.  Other than that my stew recipe is close to Wineslobs, but with less wine and I'll use red or white potatoes depending on what I have on hand.

I see stew as being a recipe that one can mostly just throw together with what is on hand.

Duffy's Tavern in Lincoln, Nebraska, a popular college student hangout, during the 1980s (and probably before) always had bay leaves in its stew; I could never figure out why, as one of course had to take them out.

An ancient Hungarian woman older than God used to make it, back then.

It was great, but I never could figure out why the bay leaves.

[vesta111]

Duffy's Tavern in Lincoln, Nebraska, a popular college student hangout, during the 1980s (and probably before) always had bay leaves in its stew; I could never figure out why, as one of course had to take them out.

An ancient Hungarian woman older than God used to make it, back then.

It was great, but I never could figure out why the bay leaves.

Why on earth put tomatoes into beef stew.????   

Old time for me was grandmas beer stew cooked in one of those old time pressure cookers with a golf ball size gage in top.

Some times she used hamburger instead of beef chunks.

Cooked beef  in the cooker, with bacon fat  2 tbs. spoons , drained off fat, added 2 tbs. of flour.     Added root vegetables, potatoes, carrots and turnip or rutabaga,, or parsnips, an onion.  This was winter stew and the vegetables were from her cold cellar.

Spices cost a dear price so perhaps one clove of garlic and just one whole raddish. 3-4 cups of water.   She made home made brisket's and had lots of butter for them, perhaps piccalilli on the side------

Top put onto the pot and a 20-30 minute cook time  if the contraption did not blow up ---  and ----There it was.

 

[Celtic Rose]

Duffy's Tavern in Lincoln, Nebraska, a popular college student hangout, during the 1980s (and probably before) always had bay leaves in its stew; I could never figure out why, as one of course had to take them out.

An ancient Hungarian woman older than God used to make it, back then.

It was great, but I never could figure out why the bay leaves.

Bay leaves tend to give good flavor to meat dishes, but like you said I use then while cooking, then I remove them.  My parents have a bay laurel tree, so we pick and dry our own, and just keep them with the spices. 

They give a subtle flavor though, so if you are using them with the entire spice rack like the DUmmies with their anise stew, the flavor would likely be lost. 

[franksolich]

Bay leaves tend to give good flavor to meat dishes, but like you said I use then while cooking, then I remove them.  My parents have a bay laurel tree, so we pick and dry our own, and just keep them with the spices. 

They give a subtle flavor though, so if you are using them with the entire spice rack like the DUmmies with their anise stew, the flavor would likely be lost. 

Okay, madam, new problem.

I tried this stew I started yesterday, and it has a subtle "sweet" flavor to it.

What should I do to dispel that?

The stew consists--thus far--only of pure beef with no fat, tomato juice, frozen potatoes, frozen carrots, frozen celery, six "beef" bouillon cubes, pepper, not very much salt (because of the bouillon cubes), onion salt, paprika, and a can of Campbell's vegetarian vegetable soup thrown in (simply because it was there).

Usually I add things as I go along, but that's what's in it so far.

It has a subtle "sweet" flavor in it, and I want to get rid of that.

What should I add, to do that?

And by the way, I decided I'm not fond of frozen potatoes.  I had purchased them thinking they had been cooked and then frozen, but no, they hadn't been cooked at all.  And so in the stew they still come out as sort of raw, no matter that they're chopped up into smaller pieces.

I suppose next time I'll get some raw potatoes and boil them first, and then put them in the stew.  This was probably the most-obvious thing to do here, but I was lazy, and didn't want to make another dirty utensil (the pot in which the potatoes would be boiled) to clean.

[BlueStateSaint]

What should I do to dispel that?

Well, this comes to mind . . .

http://www.conservativecave.com/index.php/topic,66472.0.html

[franksolich]

Well, this comes to mind . . .

http://www.conservativecave.com/index.php/topic,66472.0.html

Well, I'm not so sure more salt would do it, and remember, not all people are as salt-tolerant as I am.

I'll bet Celtic Rose or Ballygrl know what'd do it.

In the meantime, I'm still examining labels to get a clue as to what gives it that subtly "sweet" flavor.  It's not bad, but it's not what I want.

[Celtic Rose]

Well, I'm not so sure more salt would do it, and remember, not all people are as salt-tolerant as I am.

I'll bet Celtic Rose or Ballygrl know what'd do it.

In the meantime, I'm still examining labels to get a clue as to what gives it that subtly "sweet" flavor.  It's not bad, but it's not what I want.

My first guess about the sweetness is that it is either from the tomato juice or the vegetable soup.  You could try letting it cook longer to see if the sweetness lessens, but other than that, salt probably would be one of the recommended ways to fix it. 

I haven't tried this myself, so proceed with caution, but I have heard of people adding a small amount of vinegar to soups that come out to sweet, but this would be a last result, and maybe try in on a smaller pot separated out first to see how the flavor comes out. 

Also, a dollop of sour cream when it is served might add a more savory flavor.

[franksolich]

My first guess about the sweetness is that it is either from the tomato juice or the vegetable soup.  You could try letting it cook longer to see if the sweetness lessens, but other than that, salt probably would be one of the recommended ways to fix it. 

I haven't tried this myself, so proceed with caution, but I have heard of people adding a small amount of vinegar to soups that come out to sweet, but this would be a last result, and maybe try in on a smaller pot separated out first to see how the flavor comes out. 

Also, a dollop of sour cream when it is served might add a more savory flavor.

I checked labels; it looks to me as if adding that can of Campbell's vegetarian vegetable soup did it.

I think I'll desist from that in the future.

The stew's circa 14 hours old, another day left yet to cook; I'll monitor it to see if the "sweet" taste appears to be evaporating.

As for adding salt, I have no problem doing that, excepting I'm not the only one expected to consume this (there'll be about 16 quarts of the stuff by the time I'm done, as the major hunting season starts on Saturday), and others don't care for salt as much as I do.

I'll watch first, until this evening, to see what additional cooking does (I have the crockpots on "extremely low heat"), and if it doesn't seem to be doing anything, I'll dump some in a pot, heat it on the stove (after first kicking the cats outdoors, in case the stove explodes), drip in a drop or two of vinegar, and see what happens.

[IassaFTots]

The vinegar works if used sparingly. 


CR, I am so jealous of your Bay Laurel Tree.  I thought of trying to grow one in my sunroom.  I don't think it would last the summer otherwise.

[Wineslob]

The vinegar works if used sparingly. 


CR, I am so jealous of your Bay Laurel Tree.  I thought of trying to grow one in my sunroom.  I don't think it would last the summer otherwise.

They grow wild in my area.

[IassaFTots]

They grow wild in my area.

Not here.   

[Karin]

Bay leaves are actually a very important ingredient for flavor.  They're removed after a while because 1) the flavor can get a little too strong if not, 2) they're not considered attractive to the presentation, and 3) some  consider them a choking hazard.   

[dandi]

Carrots as well as tomatoes will impart a sweet taste to soups or stews. I try to use both sparingly, but it's kind of a balancing act.

I've heard of the teaspoon of vinegar thing, too. It's also supposed to enhance the overall flavor, though I've never tried it myself.

[franksolich]

Carrots as well as tomatoes will impart a sweet taste to soups or stews. I try to use both sparingly, but it's kind of a balancing act.

I've heard of the teaspoon of vinegar thing, too. It's also supposed to enhance the overall flavor, though I've never tried it myself.

Okay, these were big pieces of carrots that were in the bag of frozen "stew vegetables."

Usually I've had only very little carrot in stews.

Anyway, after some more hours of cooking "extremely low," and adding more beef without fat, pieces of potatoes that were boiled first, a can of tomato paste, and some more onion salt, it tastes what it should taste like.

Beginning late tomorrow night, I'll toss in some frozen corn and frozen peas.

[I_B_Perky]

Momma used to make some good beef stew. It had beef and taters in it. It had salt and pepper. Sometimes carrots.

If you told momma she needed to put the below ingredients in beef stew she'd hit you with a spoon and tell you she wasn't cooking spaghetti.
2 bay leaves
coriander
oregano
thyme
basil
marjoram
caraway seeds
3 blades star anise
3 cloves

No shit, Chuck!!! Why do these idiots at the dump take what should be something simple and tasty to make and **** it up beyond belief?

[AprilRazz]

I do a basic stew normally but when I am feeling frisky in the kitchen I make boeuf bourguignon with Anthony Bourdain's recipe.
I do add a few extra vegetables bit it is a good place to start.
http://www.travelchannel.com/TV_Shows/Anthony_Bourdain/Special_Features/ci.Boeuf_Bourguignon.custom

And Frank, the cats are pretty happy around here as well.