# Beef Stew **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 8, 2008, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046 "2008-10-08T19:54:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![catflea12](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@catflea12](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/catflea12)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/41 "2008-10-09T11:58:48Z")
Absolutely the easiest beef stew I ever made: Beef cut into chunks 1-1-1/2 pounds two cans cream of onion soup two cups milk Combine all into oven-safe dutch oven. Bake at 350F for 3 to 3-1/2 hours Add veggies ( potatoes, carrots, etc) the last hour. Gravy will brown in oven. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/42 "2008-10-09T12:15:39Z")
Consider using an herb bouquet as well. Thyme, peppercorns, parsley, garlic, cloves, a bay leaf, allspice - wrap it up in a piece of Handi-wipe and make sure it is submerged. And those little orzo noodles are good instead of potatoes if you are sick of spuds. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Spud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spud/32/347_2.png) [@Spud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spud)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/43 "2008-10-09T12:32:59Z")
I don’t want to sound rude, but I can’t imagine a cream/milk based beef stew. It may be very good, but it sure isn’t stew. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/44 "2008-10-09T13:11:09Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > …And those little orzo noodles are good instead of potatoes if you are sick of **spuds**. > > Regards, > Shodan > > bolding mine I’m sure he meant no offense. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/45 "2008-10-09T13:38:27Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > Some specific questions: > – Beef stock vs. water? Use both? In approximately what ratios? Benefits/drawbacks of either? > – Can the potatoes boil for hours without disintegrating, or do they have to go in 30-40 minutes before it’s done? (I have the time, so I want the stew to simmer for an extra-long time.) > – Added flour to thicken the sauce: yea or nay? If “yea,” at any old time during cooking, or only at a specific point? I want the broth to have at least some thickness to it. > – I want to use lots of garlic: best way to do so? > – Tomato sauce? Tomato _paste_? Neither? If either, when? > – I made about six pounds of garlic-parmesan mashed potatoes last night, so I’m thinking I could go easy on the potatoes in the stew since I’ll likely have the mashed ones as a side dish every night for the next week. Any other good complementary pieces to the stew (besides carrots)? I dislike onions. > – What am I likely forgetting? > Thanks much. Again, any ideas, whether I mentioned them or not, would be a big help. I’m late to the party, but… - Stock or water? Canned beef broth is nasty, go with low-sodium boxed beef broth (or chicken broth) and red wine (I’m partial to burgundy). I deglaze with the wine after I’ve browned the beef and softened the mirepoix and let it get down to a syrup before adding broth. - Potatoes will disintegrate if cooked for hours. Don’t do it. - Many ways to thicken a sauce. A cornstarch slurry is easiest, but shouldn’t boil; add at the end. When using flour, I mix equal parts softened butter and flour **very** well, then drop in the stew. Flour needs time to cook. Arrowroot also works. - Garlic is life! Add minced garlic at the end of softening the mirepoix and let cook for 60-90 seconds over medium heat (shorter over higher heat). Someone mentioned smashing the garlic…that works fine too. You can also add roasted garlic towards the end. - Tomato sauce or paste? I use tomato paste, and saute it with the mirepoix. - Potatoes in the stew aren’t a necessity, but you’ll definitely need a thickener if omitting. - I like to add frozen butterbeans or baby lima beans to the stew about 10-15 minutes before serving. Pearl onions (frozen) also stew well. Flipping through the responses upon preview, I see most of these points are covered. Other queries: - Browning beef: a necessity, and don’t crowd the pan. Do it in batches. I like to use flour, but flour isn’t a necessity. - Oven: great place for cooking stew and other braised dishes. More consistent heat from all directions. I like it low (225ish) and slow. Start it before the kickoff show on Sunday, and have it in the fourth quarter of the 4:15pm game. Cream of onion soup and milk? Sounds like something from Sandra Lee (or whatever that Food Network’s harpy’s name is). I’ll control the flavors and seasoning myself. ---
**Author:** ![MikeG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mikeg/32/4329_2.png) [@MikeG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeG)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/46 "2008-10-09T14:09:27Z")
One final thing and probably the hardest. Make the stew, cool it and put it in the fridge for 24 hours. Then reheat it gently and serve. This improves it tremendously but takes quite a lot of willpower. It makes the meat feel better when you’re eating it due to complicated chemical goings on involving the gelatin and other goodies. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/47 "2008-10-09T14:48:42Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > Some specific questions: > – Beef stock vs. water? Use both? Neither. Use beer or red wine (but not both at once ;)) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/48 "2008-10-09T15:09:28Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > I wanted to make beef stew for the first time tonight, but I’m having a little trouble with my usual method. Generally, if I want to make something new, I look at a bunch of recipes online to get a sense of the basics, then pick and choose from the various plans the details that sound good to me. > > With beef stew, however, there seems to be a lot of disagreement over pretty much everything, and I’m having trouble figuring out how I should go about getting to the results I want. Any ideas at all would be great. Full recipes are cool, but fundamentally I’m looking for concepts here. > > Some specific questions: > – Beef stock vs. water? Use both? In approximately what ratios? Benefits/drawbacks of either? > – Can the potatoes boil for hours without disintegrating, or do they have to go in 30-40 minutes before it’s done? (I have the time, so I want the stew to simmer for an extra-long time.) > – Added flour to thicken the sauce: yea or nay? If “yea,” at any old time during cooking, or only at a specific point? I want the broth to have at least some thickness to it. > – I want to use lots of garlic: best way to do so? > – Tomato sauce? Tomato _paste_? Neither? If either, when? > – I made about six pounds of garlic-parmesan mashed potatoes last night, so I’m thinking I could go easy on the potatoes in the stew since I’ll likely have the mashed ones as a side dish every night for the next week. Any other good complementary pieces to the stew (besides carrots)? I dislike onions. > – What am I likely forgetting? > Thanks much. Again, any ideas, whether I mentioned them or not, would be a big help. 1. Either, but water works just fine. 2. Potatoes should only cook until just done. 3. Sure, but add near the end and do it slowly. Or you can make a roux up front. 4. Use a garlic press. 5. Good god, no. 6. Carrots, celery, onion (minced), herbs de provence, red wine ---
**Author:** ![Stormcrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/0ea827/32.png) [@Stormcrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stormcrow)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/49 "2008-10-09T15:50:28Z")
> [@BMalion](#): > > There’s the problem. Crockpots are proof that God loves us. I thought that was beer? ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/50 "2008-10-09T15:55:29Z")
Use the beer as liquid \*\*in \*\*the crockpot. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/51 "2008-10-09T16:18:51Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > 1. Either, but water works just fine. > 2. Potatoes should only cook until just done. > 3. Sure, but add near the end and do it slowly. Or you can make a roux up front. > 4. Use a garlic press. > 5. Good god, no. > 6. **Carrots, celery, onion (minced)**, herbs de provence, red wine I used the term _mirepoix_ a few times. For those not in the know, the bolded section is a mirepoix. ---
**Author:** ![VarlosZ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d78d45/32.png) [@VarlosZ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VarlosZ)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/52 "2008-10-09T16:42:42Z")
Gotta say, I’m not a fan of celery. I don’t find it offensive, but it just seems like filler to me. It’s just . . . there. Why bother? ---
**Author:** ![ShadowFacts](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shadowfacts/32/2934_2.png) [@ShadowFacts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShadowFacts)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/53 "2008-10-09T16:53:17Z")
My wife made some beef stew last week with bacon in it. (She fried the bacon separately and chopped it up before adding to the stew). Unbelievably good. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/54 "2008-10-09T17:15:55Z")
Since we’re sharing variations of beef stew, I have to say there better not be any fresh beets around when I’m in the mood, because I loves me some beef borscht. All it takes to make beef stew into borscht is omitting the flour/thickener (you want a clear yet dark burgundy broth) and adding diced fresh beets. Not canned, if it can be avoided! Also add caraway seeds, for that Slavic taste. Serve with a dark, rye bread. Maybe a dollop of sour cream on top, especially if you add paprika/hot pepper like I do. A Russian woman taught me to make borscht years ago, and she insisted it must contain one or two black olives. Superstition? Tradition? She just likes them? I don’t know, but I always add a couple to my borscht. Bad luck not to. 🙂 Maybe add some red cabbage, and any fall root veggies you want. It’s that time of year, I think I’m going to make some. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/55 "2008-10-09T17:45:43Z")
> [@Stormcrow](#): > > I thought that was beer? I was paraphrasing. There’s lots of thing on that list as far as I’m concerned. Beer is near the top. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 9, 2008, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046/56 "2008-10-09T17:59:35Z")
> [@VarlosZ](#): > > Gotta say, I’m not a fan of celery. I don’t find it offensive, but it just seems like filler to me. It’s just . . . there. Why bother? It adds a peppery sweetness, if that makes sense to you. Any veggies I’m not a real fan of, I just mince smaller. They disappear after several hours of simmering. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/beef-stew/467046.md?page=2)