What to make with stew beef besides stew?

[Labrador_Deceiver]

@pulykamell

One of my favorite beef dishes, but I’d call that a stew. If that’s OK by the OP, then I would also suggest Hungarian goulash soup (which kind of straddles the line between soup and stew) or Hungarian pörkölt (which is definitely a type of stew.) Stew beef is also great in soup in general. Or cook it with a little bit of liquid and spices and shred it to use for tacos, enchiladas, etc. Or throw it in a spaghetti sauce and wait until it breaks down and gets soft. Or, depending on what cut “stew beef” is, you can also grind it and use it for hamburgers or whatever you want.

Stewing beef is one of my most-often bought cuts, but I typically buy the specific cut (like chuck or boneless short ribs) as I like to know what cut it is, as not all beef stew cuts are created equal.

I’ve been meaning to ask you if you got last month’s Saveur. It had a nice piece on Hungary in it.

[silenus]

Pound the snot out of it and turn it into scallopini. usually done with veal or chicken, I’ve done it with stew meat as well. A good brown gravy and yum. But yeah, I’d probably add it to pasta sauce or make chili out of it.

[pulykamell]

@Labrador_Deceiver

I’ve been meaning to ask you if you got last month’s Saveur. It had a nice piece on Hungary in it.

Ooo…I did not. My subscription to Saveur ran out a good while ago and I never renewed it (laziness, I guess. It’s my favorite cooking magazine and they do a good job with ethnic cuisine). I’ll have to check out what they have online.

[Magiver]

@aNewLeaf

Marinade w/teriyaki, serve white rice.

@KneadToKnow

I’ve tossed it in oil and broiled it with some hearty veggies, basically as skewer-less kabobs.

Teriyaki shish kabobs. With onions, peppers, peaches, cherry tomatoes, and maybe try some bananas. Serve with rice.

[jasg]

Sauté it well in olive oil and garlic. Add a can of Rotel diced tomato and peppers, add olives (I use Kalamata) to taste, simmer until beef is tender and serve over brown rice.

[pulykamell]

I’m surprised you guys get edible results with grilling stew meat. I get nothing but a chewy mess.

[wonky]

Cottage pie

stew meat
some form of hot sausage (Italian, hot breakfast, hot links, whatever flavor you like)
onions
garlic
peas and/or carrots and/or celeriac (optional)
your favorite spices (I love cumin and cilantro in this)
salt
pepper
tomato paste
beef broth
corn starch to thicken

Cook this until the meat is really tender and the flavors are blended

Put into a casserole dish, top with a bit of shredded cheese, then mashed potatoes (garlic mashed is a good choice) and then a bit more cheese. You don’t need to go crazy with the cheese.

Brown in the oven.

Eat.

Best leftovers ever.

[Qwisp]

Beef stroganoff
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Darias-Slow-Cooker-Beef-Stroganoff/Detail.aspx?prop24=hn_slide1_Daria’s-Slow-Cooker-Beef-Stroganoff&evt19=1

[squeegee]

Bachelor’s Hungarian Ghoulash.

0. Cut stew beef into 1/2" chunks.
1. Cut 1 small onion into chunks
2. In a 2 qt pot, saute onion with stew beef until onion is tender and meat is browned.
3. Dump enough V8 to cover all, plus an inch.
4. Add a couple of tablespoons of paprika, also salt & fresh ground pepper to taste.
5. Reduce heat to low, simmer until meat is tender, 1 hour or so.
6. Using a slotted spoon, remove meat and coat lightly with flour. Return to mixture and heat to med. to thicken broth.
7. Serve mixture over buttered egg noodles. Optionally add a dollop of sour cream.

My father taught me this, and it’s great comfort food.

[Magiver]

@pulykamell

I’m surprised you guys get edible results with grilling stew meat. I get nothing but a chewy mess.

well if you don’t like the chewy aspects of the cut of meat then grilling is not for you. but I cut it up into bite size pieces and marinade it for grilling.

[the_diego]

Steak pie sans kidneys.

[Superhal]

Tough meat is just an illusion. Any citric fruit has enzymes that will break down any meat and make it tender. My favorite is a blended kiwi, oranges work great as well.

My choice would be get some mushrooms and have an outdoor BBQ with shishkabobs.

[Labrador_Deceiver]

@pulykamell

Ooo…I did not. My subscription to Saveur ran out a good while ago and I never renewed it (laziness, I guess. It’s my favorite cooking magazine and they do a good job with ethnic cuisine). I’ll have to check out what they have online.

As a subscriber, I can order back issues. Let me know and I’ll pick you up a copy.

It was featured on the cover.

[Labrador_Deceiver]

@Superhal

Tough meat is just an illusion.

??

Any citric fruit has enzymes that will break down any meat and make it tender. My favorite is a blended kiwi, oranges work great as well.

In my experience, it makes the outside 1/8 of an inch mushy, while the rest of the meat is as tough as it ever was.

[bump]

@Labrador_Deceiver

??

In my experience, it makes the outside 1/8 of an inch mushy, while the rest of the meat is as tough as it ever was.

Me too.

There are 2 things that make meat tough- cooking time and connective tissue. The first is related to the muscle fibers shrinking up and losing water as heat is applied. The second is because collagen is inherently tough and chewy, and in well-worked muscles, is prevalent throughout the muscle itself.

This is why steaks (generally inherently low-collagen cuts) are cooked fast and hot, and usually not well done- the only thing to worry about is overcooking.

It’s also why briskets are slow-smoked or slow-cooked in some fashion- the long, low heat converts the collagen into gelatin and even though the meat itself is well done and then some, it is still tender because of the connective tissue breakdown.

The big problem with “stew meat” is that you don’t really know what you’re getting. It could be chunks of brisket, flank, round, sirloin or some mystery cut that they don’t even sell over the counter except as stew meat.

Grilling is generally a hot & fast method, so you may end up with some really good little nuggets, but you’re more likely to end up with something more similar to pieces of tire.

So in general the safer bet with stew meat is to cook it low and slow in some fashion- braises and stews typically.