I wish I could find a restaurant near work that had beef stew, but no one does. I’d make it, but I want it now!
I noticed last night that D’Angelo’s offers beef stew. Has anyone had it?
If it’s anything like that Dinty Moore shite, then forget it.
I have a quart or so of beef stew in the freezer.
Not very helpful, is it?
Well, I don’t have the answer to wanting it now, but I usually make a large Crock Pot full of beef stew about once a month, once the weather starts to get cold. Then I freeze it in single-serving containers.
Oh, hey, here’s an idea: does your local supermarket sell Marie Callender (sp?) pot pies? They’re not exactly like home made, but they’re pretty darned good (a mile better than Dinty Moore, at any rate!) and it seems like a decent beef pot pie might satisfy that beef stew craving.
Just a thought. 
I tried making crock pot beef stew a few weekends ago. It was too soupy. Just not what I am craving.
Best beef stew I EVER had was late at night. I was going north with a friend to snowmobile. We got to the inn late and found the owner waiting up. He offered us beef stew. O…M…G… it was superb! Thick broth and beef that literally melted in my mouth. Mmmmm… and full of potatoes and carrots. Oh man.
Hormel sells refrigerated packages (not frozen) of beef tips, pot roast, BBQ pork, and the like in the meat case of many groceries. That’s stew-like. There’s lots of ‘beefy’ soups that are stew-like, too, at least better than Dinty Moore.
My mom made the best beef stew in the world, in the pressure cooker. I can’t make the same thing, I’m afraid of pressure cookers!
I make beef stew when we go camping. Last time I added cornstarch to thicken the broth from soupy to stewy. I guess this should work for your crockpot recipe.
I use so much corn starch, I should buy stock in the company!
My husband loves sauces and gravies, but he likes them thick enough to “stay where he puts them”! So even when I think a sauce or gravy is thick enough, I make a slurry from 1/4C of broth, stock, complimentary wine (whatever’s handy, mainly) plus a Tbsp. of corn starch; let the gravy or sauce come to a low simmer, whisk in the slurry slowly, allow to simmer for one more minute, and, bingo! Thick gravy!
PS: Obviously you, CaveMike, know how to do this. I added the how-to for some of those folks out there who traditionally thicken with a roux or super-fine flour and may not be familiar with using corn starch to get the job done!
Actually I don’t norinew! My campfire stew recipe is just slightly more complicated than “throw it in the pot and wait one hour”.
I’ve been thinking about transitioning from campfire to crockpot this winter, so your instructions are very much appreciated.
As said, you can thicken it with cornstarch. I prefer flour for thickening stews, in the form of either a slurry or roux (I don’t like the slimy shininess of corn starch). However, you need about three times as much flour that you would cornstarch, in my estimation, for thickening the same amount of liquid. Also, masa harina if you like the earthy corn taste. Potato flakes, as well. You could also just let it cook down, uncovered, a lot longer and let the liquid simmer out of it and reduce. It won’t necessarily be terribly thick, this way, but the flavor will be concentrated.
I added frozen green beans and corn, which I think added too much water to the recipe I used (did not call for them). But thanks everyone for the advice, I may try it again at some point.
So no one has tried the D’Angelos serving? Looks like I may have to take one for the team and report back.
Someone turned me on to potato starch the other day to thicken pie fillings. I used it in my chili and in gravy as well. You need to make a slurry or it will form tapioca-like clumps.
How timely - I just watched an episode of America’s Test Kitchen, and their subject was crockpot beef stews. They recommended using Minute tapioca, just like when you thicken pie fillings. They just sprinkled and stirred it right in the slow-cooker after adding all the meat and liquids, and said it was the best thickener for long slow cooking because it didn’t break down or get clumpy. I vowed to try that next time I did a crockpot stew.
I like chuck for stew. I think that chuck is very flavorful, and stewing helps bring out its potential. Then again, I like ground chuck, too.
At any rate, chuck will shrink, and it will need to be degreased, but it’s a great cut for stewing.
I’ve got a pack of sliced ox heart in the freezer (it looks just like really nice, dark red stewing steak - ‘sliced’ here is mostly euphemistic for ‘tubes removed’) - I’m going to make beef stew with that (onions, red wine, bay leaves and I’ll make some dumplings or scones to float on top at the end of cooking)
I’m not sure anyone else in my household will eat it, because of what it is - all the more for me though.
Yep, chuck is awesome for stew. As are boneless short ribs. (Or bone-in, too, but that’s almost a different dish.) I used to only use chuck, but I’ve since been turned on to the short ribs (and they’re cheap as hell at the local grocer). You definitely want a cut similar to these two–lots of connective tissue that breaks down and gelatinizes during a long slow cook.
[slight hijack]if you have a slow cooker, here’s what’s good to do with short ribs (on the bone): salt and pepper them; throw them in the slow cooker with a tiny bit of beef stock. Cook them until they are almost falling off the bone; add your favorite BBQ sauce (home-made or from a bottle) and cook on low another hour; serve with additional sauce and your favorite cole slaw, plus some nice crusty warm-from-the-oven dinner rolls. Heaven![/sh]
I’ve been craving stew for…years, but never have been able to figure out how to make it thick and rich.
If I buy a box of that, will the directions be there? Or should I search ATK?
(Thanks for doing all the work for me, lol.)
I’ve made several times the Irish Beef Stew on http://www.simplyrecipes.com and everyone has loved it. I simmer it for longer than the recipe calls for, and cut down on the carrots and add mushrooms. It is perfect for a cold winter’s day.
Their Irish Lamb Stew is also lovely, but lamb is hard to get in Korea.
The number one ingredient in Beef Stew in my opinion is time, so I don’t think I can help you with the “need it now factor” other than it will be well worth it later. This is a start it Saturday morning, and eat that night… it will be great… re-heat Sunday and it will be perfect.
When I was in my 20’s I watched my Mom make her stew and tried my best to write down her “recipe.” It was a lot of “palm full” of this, something else “to taste.” I followed what I had written down for years and made a darn good stew. Now though I catch myself making it without ever taking out a measuring spoon/cup, and rarely looking at the recipe.
I’m not too picky about the meat… other than I never buy “stew beef.” I’d rather take a piece I can recognize and trim it to my tastes. After the long slow cooking times even tough cuts come out tender, and sirloin comes out like butter. I make big batches so use around 2lbs of beef so I often use a few differnet cuts.
As far as thickening, my Mom used to add flour and water to a mason jar, shake and stir in. I learned early that this works well but you better bring to a boil unless you like the taste of raw flour. I now make a roux which I think gives it a much better taste.
Again, with the right now factor… the best stew I’ve ever made was even better the next day when all the flavors had more time to blend.
I’ve never made beef stew but my mom and I were talking about trying to make some. Probably a simple recipe, just beef, carrots, potatoes, etc spices and whatnot but I have absolutely zero idea how to find a good recipe/make it. Any help or suggestions?