Stew Recipe wanted please

Hi does anybody have a tried and tested tasty stew recipe they could post please or one from their mother or passed down from their granny. Thanks in advance.

Well, whichever recipes you end up with, adding some Marmite will improve it no end...

.......And lashings of Lea & Perrins.

If the meat has some fat - onions, carrots, leeks, turnip, green beans with two oxos or maggi cubes and a can of stout.

If you are having dumplings they should thicken it but if not a couple of diced spuds.

If the meat is too lean chop up two rashers of bacon small.

I brown my meat first but to be honest I don't think it makes that much difference.

I like to use up all the old veg with stew and owt that doesn't go in the pot gets fried up for bubble n squeak.

.......And lashings of Lea & Perrins.

Yes, yes and thrice yes.

I'm rarely in this section I can't cook anything particularly noteworthy but my stews are pretty good. If you're using pulses, rinse rinse and rinse again - leave them to soak and rinse some more. It makes a difference.

I like my stew with lots of pulses in it, so in other ingredients my stew is very plain, but it's full of whole grains. I don't bother browning the meat, usually because I cook it in the slow cooker and I'm in a rush to get it going- it doesn't appear to make any difference to the taste.

I use

stewing steak,

onions (coarsely chopped),

carrots (chopped but don't bother peeling them),

potatoes (ditto),

a couple of stock cubes (I prefer the Rich Beef version of Stock Pots if I've got them in), a chopped leek,

some Hendos (or Lea & Perrins, whatever floats your boat),

a spoonful of Marmite,

a big sprig of bay leaves, or any other herbs I fancy at the time,

hot water to cover everything, then I throw in

a couple of handfuls each of

red lentils,

green lentils

pearl barley

or if I'm out of any of those, some pulse soup mix.

If you're using pulses it needs to cook for at least a couple of hours to make sure they are cooked, and if you're using pulses you season at the end, not at the beginning.

Pulses have a lot less carbs than dumplings so although I miss dumplings, I'm in the process of losing weight and I choose to forego dumplings however tasty they may be. The pulses will fill me up plenty anyway.

My favorite is beef in Makeson stout, I've tried other stout but Makeson seems to give a really good depth of flavour, Guinness gives a very bitter taste in my opinion.

I fry a 1lb of stewing steak until slightly browned in veg oil then add a couple of medium sized chopped onions and a punnet of mushrooms before adding three or four diced carrots. Add a couple of tablespoons of plain flour and stir until it absorbs all the oil. Put the mix into a slow cooker with two 330ml cans of Makeson, add a bay leaf and a teaspoon of soft dark brown sugar and give it a good stir.

I generally do this the evening before and cook in the slow cooker on high for a few hours before turning off to leave overnight. I'll then put in on low all day and have it with a big tin of homemade Yorkshire Pud. Serves 2 Adults and 2 children.

Here's my recipe:

Nice lean stewing steak, cubed (around 130g ish per person)

around 1 each of medium sized per person peeled and chopped to about the same size as the meat

carrot

parsnip

stalk of celery

3 or 4 peeled shallots

tin of chopped tomatoes

good glug of red wine

good splash of hendos

bay leaf and a sprinkle of mixed herbs

fry the vegetables in hot oil for a few mins until they just start to caramalise a bit

remove from pan and keep warm

brown the meat

put the veg back in the pan

add the rest of the ingredients

simmer very gently with a lid on for 2.5 - 3 hrs until the texture of the meat is to your taste

if it starts to look a bit dry add some boiling water as necessary but not too much unless you want it sloppy

serve with warm crusty bread or dumplings or both if you like

I make lots of stews and don't have a set recipe.

Diced beef or chicken is usually the base. I don't go fancy so no wine in mine. Or garlic! (Hate the stuff)

One key factor that andyofborg mentioned though. Cook it slow and for a long time. Usually 3 hrs for me... at least.

I always add a tablespoon of tomato puree or a dash of passata

Well, whichever recipes you end up with, adding some Marmite will improve it no end...

Marmite?

Devil food!

---------- Post added 07-02-2018 at 07:36 ----------

A note on pulses.

Pulses must be soaked in water.

Preferably overnight.

I'd recommend 3x the volume of water as weight of pulses.

Next morning, pour off water.

Rinse-swirl in new water ( a big sieve is useful or a deep saucepan- let the pulses settle before pouring off wash water)

Then boil hard 10 mins, before simmering 30-40 mins.

The 30-40mins part can be as part of a dish eg stew casserole soup.

---------- Post added 07-02-2018 at 07:44 ----------

Hi does anybody have a tried and tested tasty stew recipe they could post please or one from their mother or passed down from their granny. Thanks in advance.

My view, have been force fed stew at home when i was young is tgats unbearable. The fat turns to blobs with simmering. With fatty meat...

Stew is devil food

Better to casserole it, which renders (melts the fat down fully or otherwise crisps it mmm).

Same ingredients, just stick in oven gas mark 4/ 180'C.