Making Beef Stew 1st x now:)!

16 years ago

So the guy at the store sold me 1.5 lbs of

Beef Chuck Shoulder Pot Roast bnless English Cut

Cut into 1" pieces

did my best to brown them in olive oil (lots of spatter!)

Removed from Dutch Oven

tossed in half an onion, some small chopped carrot and celery cuz I already had it, swished it around in what was left of the oil for a minute

added the beef back in

poured in a mix of about 2 cups of of 1/2 kitchen basic beef stock and 1/2 red wine (is that too much wine?) and added water till the liquid left the meat just peeking out the top (about a cup) tossed in a couple chunks of parsnip, sweet potato and potato reserving the rest for later I didn't want them to get too soft....?

flavoring - about a tsp of Worstchesire and Soy each with pepper and dried herb of provence (tsp? ea?) bare dash of salt

Put in oven, covered at around 350, set timer for an hour

I plan on 3 hours? Less?

I will put in the rest of the veggie chunks in an hour, add more 1/2 wine, 1/2 stock? as needed........

When or do you "let" the liquid get lower?

Should I roast the reserved veggies a little before adding?

More specific instructions? Flavorings? Pitfalls?

Ack - forgot to put in some dried porchini mushrooms....

1/4 cup -

Mary

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Comments (14)

lindac
16 years ago
Sounds good....you have lots of sweet in there...the carrots and onion the wine and the sweet potato....you may want to add some red wine vinegar to balance the taste.....
I would turn that oven waaaaaay down. Boiling is 212....set the oven about 250....you want a simmer not a furious boil....which is what it will do in a 350 oven.
Put the carrots in about 45 minutes before you think it'll be done and add the potatoes about 30 minutes before....but of course that depends on how small you cut the potatoes.
pkramer60
16 years ago
Going to try the vinegar on the leftover pot roast from Sunday. I had too many carrots. Ick.
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hawk307
16 years ago
Mary:
LindaC, is right but if you are using a dry wine, like
Chanti that's OK. not sweet.

I don't know about the Sweet Potatoes, never used them in Stew. Can you bake them separatly?
Too much sweetness. I don't need anymore.

You didn't mention Garlic. I use Garlic Powder.
If you are not sure of the ingredients taste, put in less and add more, after it is taste tested.

If the white potatoes haven't softened, I add some Instant Potatoes at the end to thicken.
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marys1000
Original Author
16 years ago
Owwwwwww....I've never had my Le Creuset in the oven before si I grabbed the cover knob and gave my 3 fingers and thumb solid burn
ok, two hours in added some potatoes, another 25 minutes or so thern im going to out some flour in cold h20 stock mix, ztirr and add in, cook for another 20.....and thats it? take out of oven, throw in some frozen peas, let cool, put in fridge for tomorrow,,,,
marys1000
Original Author
16 years ago
dont even like sweet potatoes lol just added in for more health, pulled some back so maybe 1/2 a one - have no idea whT IM DOING!:)
no mashed potato mix but great idea
hawk307
16 years ago
Mary:
You were supposed to put the wine in the stew, not drink it
Lou
hawk307
16 years ago
You could use some Corn Starch in 1/2 cup of water to thicken. I think it's too late for flour.
Lou
marys1000
Original Author
16 years ago
it looks ggod but it doesnt smell good. dont think i should have added the vinegar and saved that for after it was done. could be too much wine. cant taste it becUSE im wearing invisilg retainers and they are too haed to clean one handed
lindac
16 years ago
You shouldn't have added any vinegar until you tasted it!!!
Take the retainers out and taste the gravy....and put that poor burned hand into some ice water!
bulldinkie
16 years ago
When I make stew I add a packet of dry onion sup mix,love what it does for the stew.
sushipup1
16 years ago
As for the dish being sweet, because of the onions and carrots, well, that's just a variation of the stew, which is in itself endlessly variable. Last weekend we did braised short ribs with carrots and boiler onions, and it had a very sweet carrot-y taste which was lovely.
annie1992
16 years ago
Oh dear, Mary, I hope your hand feels better. I don't suppose you have an aloe plant in your kitchen?

I agree, you shouldn't add the vinegar until you've tasted the stew but I think it's too late for that. Oh, and peas will make it even sweeter.

As for thickener, I mix the flour and water and put the casserole on top of the stove, bring it to a boil and stir in the flour/water mixture, thickening the gravy that way.

I'm just waiting to hear how it tastes tomorrow!

Annie
hawk307
16 years ago
Mary :
I had mentioned if you are not sure of the ingrdients,
put in less and add later.

Adding Onion Soup Mix was a good tip.
Forgot about that one.

For next time:
If you are making Gravy, Spaghetti Sauce or Soups, take some of the Juices out and add whatever.
And taste test.

Then you won't ruin the whole batch
I don't use vinegar in Sauces or Gravies.

Think I'll put this tip in " What food tips did you learn this year "
Lou
marys1000
Original Author
16 years ago
Ok - update. I took a little to work and myself and a couple of coworkers tried it with some trepidation = but it was fine! I don't know what was going on with the smell last night (maybe the dried mushrooms who knows) but today it was gone and smelled and tasted normal/good. I would rather have SUBLIME but I guess I;ll have to settle:) I'm not the hugest beef stew fan but its healthier than cream soups, I wanted to try it and freeze some and now I know. It was good, next time I'll tweak a little.
Thanks for all the support! I'm an overthinker, panic'er do things at the last minute I shouldn't for sure

Making Beef Stew 1st x now:)!

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