Common Mistakes To Avoid When Making Beef Stew
NEWS
By NATALIE VOLOSHCHUK
The Wrong Cut
Neither filet mignon, ribeye, or what is sold as “stew meat” in stores will benefit from slow cooking. When shopping for a stew, go for a chuck, shank, or beef neck.
The best meat for a beef stew is a tougher cut with lots of collagen-rich tissues. The cut will break down when slow-cooked, leading to flavorful and tender chunks of meat.
Not Searing The Meat
To give your stew a deep, savory, meaty flavor, always sear the meat first. Depending on quantity, you can sear the meat in batches to avoid crowding the pan.
If you’re using a thick-bottomed pan or metal pot for your stew, sear the meat right in the pot. If you’re using a multi-cooker or something else, sear your beef in a pan first.
Overcooking Veggies
Veggies turn mushy if cooked for as long as the meat. Add firmer ones 20 minutes before the cooking ends and softer ones when the firmer ones are almost ready.
You can cook onions with the meat to have them melt away or add them chopped at the very end to get a noticeable onion taste. Don’t simmer frozen veggies for more than two minutes.
Dusting Before Browning
Dusting the meat in flour or cornstarch before browning has some cons. The flour gets in the way of the browning and can burn much faster than the meat.
Additionally, no matter how little flour or cornstarch you add to your meat before you start browning, it will definitely contribute to making your stew thicker than necessary.
Over-Thickening
The liquid part of stew shouldn’t have the density of gravy. For the perfect consistency, you should simmer collagen-rich cuts on low heat over a long time.
You can also get the ideal density with a flour slurry or thickening agent like amaranth, cornstarch, quick oats, or mashed or pureed potatoes. Whatever you use, add it bit by bit.
Alternatively, scoop a bit of broth with vegetables from the pot you’re cooking the stew in, blend it into a slurry, and add the slurry back into the pot while stirring the mix.