# Stew is too bitter, need advice quick **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 27, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224 "2008-01-27T20:25:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/1 "2008-01-27T20:25:47Z")
On my first attempt to make beef stew, today, I used some really thick, dark stout of a beer as part of the liquid in my pot. After two hours of cooking the meat, I discovered that the broth is very bitter due to the beer. A fairly decent amount of brown sugar didn’t fully compensate for the bitterness–is there anything else I can do besides throw in more sweetener? ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/2 "2008-01-27T20:29:10Z")
What else is in the stew? How thick is it? Can you add tomatoes? More stock? A bit of Madeira? Sherry? Sweet Marsala? ---
**Author:** ![Savannah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b3f665/32.png) [@Savannah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Savannah)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/3 "2008-01-27T20:30:24Z")
Onions? Onions are actually sweet-ish. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/4 "2008-01-27T20:33:32Z")
Alcohol in savory foods can produce a bitter flavor. I don’t know if you’re using a low temperature or a slow cooker, but the temperature may not have evaporated all the alcohol from the beer. Before doing anything else, blast it to boiling point for about 2 minutes, then allow to cool, and taste again. I wouldn’t add more sugary stuff if I were you. ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/5 "2008-01-27T20:35:10Z")
Beef, carrots, onions, potatoes, a bay leaf, and water. No tomatoes or stock, and I thought wine and beer together would be weird–but maybe it would be okay? Since it’s my first time making stew, I took the betty crocker beef stew, which has surprisingly little seasoning, and added beer. ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/6 "2008-01-27T20:46:43Z")
**jjimm** was right on. After a couple minutes of a rolling boil, the bitterness was gone. The beer, if anyone’s interested, was a 9.1% ABV Russian imperial stout by Victory which, it turns out, was way too heavy to drink. An ounce is tasty–a glass of the stuff, though, I find undrinkable. If people have more tips on making stew, such as yummy ingredients to add, please post. The recipe I started out with seems very unrealistic: it used only about 4 cups of water, whereas I started with that and ran dry before filling up the pot again with beer and water. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/7 "2008-01-27T20:46:43Z")
Maybe a touch of vinegar and salt? Really, I got nothing. That might or might not work, I can’t guarantee the results. I’d say to just enjoy it for what it is… Dark beer will give you that complexity. Maybe throw in some mushrooms and garlic to absorb and/or counter and complement the bitterness? ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/8 "2008-01-27T20:50:05Z")
It’s been said already, but I had this same problem cooking with Guiness. A rolling boil for 2-3 mins prior to adding to the cooking pot gives a rich, smooth liquid without the bitter taste. Beef ‘n’ Guinnes Pie - YUM! ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/9 "2008-01-27T21:03:44Z")
Glad that worked. Yeah, 9.1% is _very_ alcoholic for a beer - that’s more like a barley wine, so it takes a bit more oomph to get the booze out of it. As for stews - lots and lots of fresh thyme and a bay leaf; that’s all I got. Oh, and dumplings. And if you hadn’t already put sugar into it, I’d recommend a tablespoonful of balsamic vinegar. ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/10 "2008-01-27T21:42:11Z")
Crap. I mixed 1/2 cup of cold water with 2 T. of flour, slowly added it into the stew, and boiled for two minutes, but the raw flour taste is there and pretty strong. I thought boiling was supposed to get rid of that? ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/11 "2008-01-27T21:45:22Z")
1/2 cup is a LOT of flour! If you’re going to use that much, make a basic roux with butter, and cook it well first. Otherwise, use cornstarch - about 1 tbsp per pint of stew - mixed up in a little cold water first, to make a paste, then pour the paste in, and mix well while simmering, until it thickens. ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/12 "2008-01-27T21:53:46Z")
Not 1/2 cup of flour–two tablespoons of flour mixed into 1/2 cup of water. Going by the betty crocker. ---
**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:** [January 27, 2008, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/13 "2008-01-27T22:03:51Z")
It’s going to take a while for the flour to cook and lose the floury taste. I rpefer cornstarch or arrowroot if I am using a thickener like that. Even better is to use some oxtails or a shank, the collagen makes for an even better thickener and adds taste as well. ---
**Author:** ![iwakura43](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de0a6/32.png) [@iwakura43](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iwakura43)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/14 "2008-01-27T22:10:37Z")
Well, everything went well except for the flour at the end. Next time I’ll make a roux and brown it before adding. Do I need a double boiler to make a roux, or just careful control over the heat? ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2008, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/15 "2008-01-27T22:26:32Z")
Try this. Next time, dredge the stew meat in flour, brown it, and then add the liquid and the other stuff. When I do this, I never need thickener at the end of cooking, and there’s no flour taste. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/16 "2008-01-28T01:27:03Z")
Those fine minute tapioca granules are a traditional American thickening for stew. Just sprinkle a tablespoon or so into the stew towards the end of cooking. It’s the same fine tapioca that is also very traditionally used in American fruit pies. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/17 "2008-01-28T01:53:14Z")
The easiest thing to thicken stews - almost instantly and virtually tasteless, is instant mashed potato. I keep it for no other purpose. Just stir it in by the spoonful until you get the desired thickness. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 2:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/18 "2008-01-28T02:03:01Z")
Incidentally, although the boiling appears to have solved the problem, it wasn’t because you boiled out all the alcohol. [Alcohol actually takes a really long time before it all boils out](http://www.exploratorium.edu/cooking/icooks/01-05-04.html). FIfteen minutes of simmering would only get rid of 60% of the alcohol; 2 minutes of rolling boil would probably get rid of less than that. I wonder whether it may have broken down some bitter proteins in the dish? Daniel ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/19 "2008-01-28T02:13:55Z")
It seems to me that the bitterness is more likely due to the hops content of the beer, rather than the alcohol. I’m as big a beer snob as the next guy, when you’re talking about drinking. But having learned the bitter lesson the hard way, when it comes to cooking with beer–which I do a _lot_–I use the cheapest, pisswateriest American beer I can get. That way I get the nice yeasty depth that makes cooking with beer so nice, without–in my experience–the nasty bitterness you tend to get with “better” beers. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2008, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224/20 "2008-01-28T03:00:33Z")
[QUOTE=iwakura43] Well, everything went well except for the flour at the end. Next time I’ll make a roux and brown it before adding. Do I need a double boiler to make a roux, or just careful control over the heat? [/QUOTE] A roux is a very simple thickener, it is nothing more than flour sauteed with butter or some kind of fat or oil. It should be made over direct heat in a frying/sautee pan/skillet. Simply singe the flour till blonde (or dark, if preferred) in a medium heat pan with a roughly 2 to 1 ratio of fat to flour (about 6-10 minutes). You should only need from 1-2 tablespoons of roux to thicken a pot of stew, but usually roux is a base and should be used from the beginning. It can be added to stew later as a thickener, but traditional American stew would probably not be roux based or derivative unless you were from Loisiana… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stew-is-too-bitter-need-advice-quick/435224.md?page=2)