Basic Stew

pure.blonde, Jul 12, 11:22pm
My mother used to cook stew on the stovetop using stewing steak, kidneys and verges. The flavour was always amazing. One of those old favourites that you always went back for seconds.

I have tried several times but it's just - meh! What do I need to add? There's something I'm not doing right.
glynsmum, Jul 12, 11:48pm
An Oxtail soup!
mouse265, Jul 12, 11:51pm
she may have used skirt steak or even beef cheeks and cooked the stew up one day to eat the next day to allow the flavour to come out
245sam, Jul 13, 12:11am
pure.blonde, whenever I make steak and kidney casserole/stew I make it the way my late MIL did. I simply season flour with salt and plenty of pepper, then coat the cubed pieces of meat in the seasoned flour (chuck, skirt, blade steak, and the kidney of course). I don't usually brown the meat but simply add water to almost cover the meat and plenty of sliced or chopped onions plus 1 or 2 bay leaves. A long slow/gentle cook and it's a meal that my non-offal eating DH always enjoys!

I agree with mouse265's suggestion re making the stew a day before it's needed - IMO most stews and casseroles are better for having firstly a long, slow and gentle cook, then being refrigerated for a day or two before being carefully reheated and served. Chilling the cooked casserole/stew also gives the opportunity for any excess fat, by then set, to be removed.

Hope that helps. :-))
r_o_s_i_t_a, Jul 13, 12:24am
add Bisto or marmite
gaspodetwd, Jul 13, 12:34am
Yes! A tin of baked beans helps thicken it and make the meat go further too.
pure.blonde, Jul 13, 12:42am
Thanks so much - I now remember her cooking it the day before and the more it was reheated the tastier it got.
thewomble1, Jul 13, 2:41am
I remember making a big pot of stew to take away camping the night before we left. Added some marmite for extra flavour. Went to use the next day and found it had fermented. I put it down to the marmite.
lythande1, Jul 13, 3:06am
The meat, the kidneys, onion, carrot, a tbsp worcestershire sauce, salt & plenty of pepper, 1 Tbsp tomato paste, stock, thyme, 1/2 cup red wine.
tramore, Jul 13, 5:09am
do you mash the beans to make a thickened paste?
macandrosie, Jul 13, 5:11am
Do you have a slow cooker? It's great to be able to throw your casserole steak into one for the day. I have found more recently that adding a can of tomatoes to casserole meat really helps tenderise meat over a long slow cooking period. I would also add some chopped onion, garlic seasoning, then thicken an hour or 2 before serving time. Sometimes simple is best.
rosejenny38, Jul 13, 5:25am
No one has mentioned browning the meat firstly which is what I do. I also saute the onions beforehand as well. THEN, just toss everything into the crockpot with all the other ingredients peeps have mentioned ; tin of tomatoes, carrots, teaspoon of Maggi Beef Stock etc and VOILA absolutely delish !
pricilla, Jul 13, 5:57am
Simple easy yummy stew. Stewing steak use a good sharp pair of scissors to cut meat into small cubes place in pot next cut up one onion place in pot one small pinch of salt & 3 big table spoons of tomato sauce(Watties, etc) then add warm water then add any veges chopped carrots cauliflower, even frozen veges. Bring to boil & simmer for 40 minutes stirring & adding more water when needed. Thicken with 2 tablespoons of flour mixed with cold water. Yummy with mashed potatoes. Really easy & yummy. Kidneys can be cubed & added it wanted also adding mushrooms 5 minutes before thickening if desired for added flavour. You can use any steak for this recipe. Lovely on a cold winters night. Bon appetite.
korbo, Oct 16, 10:18pm
does anyone have any idea why # 8 stew fermented?
surely it couldnt be the marmite.
wonder if they had thickened it with flour and water. maybe that.?
rainrain1, Oct 16, 10:34pm
Some fat on the meat will give you flavour, they cut it all off now, what a sin. I sometimes add a packet gravy to the mix, or an oxo cube. Don't forget to add chopped onion or onions
gardner12, Oct 17, 4:21am
Its always better the next day, same as mince, I always add an oxo cube plus salt
crails, Oct 17, 5:34pm
The base ingredient in marmite is yeast, that's where the fermentation would have come from
rainrain1, Oct 17, 9:54pm
Warm weather and not refrigerated would be my guess
beaker59, Aug 28, 2:11am
Brown the meat first to get colour and flavour, Its not about "sealing" the meat its about caramelising the outside of the meat and so you get a nice flavour and colour so not just grey meat. Otherwise its all about what you like, stew basically is a great way to use up fridge left overs. Also best meat is tough cheap stuff cooked long and slow so there's heaps of gelatine produced.