In Praise of Overcooked Stew
plllog
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
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Bef Stew Question
Comments (19)"draupnir - you can safely leave out the onions. Since they are low-acid anyway eliminating them from the recipe poses no safety issues. But leaving them out does NOT allow you to increase or substitute other ingredients. Follow me? Keep everything else the same, just leave out the onions. ;) " Although this argument is frequently used, I'm not entirely sure that it is correct. By way of example, a stew recipe with 1 cup each of meat, carrots, onions, and celery would be 25% meat 25% carrots 25% celery 25% onions. Each of these ingredients has a certain size, density, heat penetration rate, pH, etc which contributes to the overall density, heat penetration rate, pH etc of the finished product. Now suppose we remove the 1 cup of onions but leave EVERYTHING ELSE THE SAME as is frequently urged. Our stew is 1 cup meat, 1 cup carrots, 1 cup celery or 33% meat, 33% carrots 33% celery. Clearly the relative proportions of the ingredients have, in fact, changed; and their relative contribution to the overall density, heat penetration rate, pH, etc will also have changed. For example, our new "onion free" stew has a higher proportion of meat. Perhaps the meat is the component of the original stew which heats most slowly. We now have a greater relative amount of the slowest heating ingredient. On the other hand, perhaps the onions have the greatest contribution to overall stew heating rates. Then our new "onion free" stew would, probably be (slightly or more) overprocessed as all the other ingredients would now heat more quickly without the slowly heating onions. As is frequently said, we just don't know what such a substitution - or deletion - or addition - will do without testing the new stew recipe. I am not saying that the OP cannot safely remove the onions. However, I am giving us all food for thought about changing recipes without having them tested, and assuming that some changes will be ok based on assumptions rather than empirical evidence. Sharon...See MoreArrgh! Overcooking Stuff!
Comments (5)Don't worry, John; my spouse and I are totally with you on this. In fact, it took me almost a decade to wean him off the whole "cook it till it's dead" philosophy. Having grown up in Hong Kong, they bought their meat from outdoor stalls where flies covered the carcasses, so there was good reason they cooked everything well-done! He likes his beef a little more rare than I do, but we are both in the "medium-rare at most" camp. We pull out our prime rib roast at about 123 degrees; I don't think our temp gauge is that accurate so it took a few experiments before we got the hang of it. Pork is so lean these days it should never be more than medium; when we are dining out we specify medium-rare on it. Lamb is always medium-rare or even rare if US. Out here we get a lot of inexpensive Aussie lamb which we find much better done medium, however - IOW, still some rosy pink in the middle. Overcooking fish is a crime in CA - or it should be! These days virtually every good restaurant around here agrees with you and me - the fish should be still slightly translucent inside, especially the lean white fishes like swordfish and halibut. Not to mention salmon....just the thought of overcooking those gorgeous Copper River salmon makes me cringe! I hope you can get them easier than we can. Once they became so suddenly popular, we lost all our retail sources and now only rarely can find them in restaurants for maybe two weeks out of the year. One note: my elderly MIL lives with us. Altho she tolerates medium-rare, she is still in the "it should look dead" mentality. I often make filet mignon as it's easy and fast. I've taken to getting those less-desirable end cuts, the triangular pieces. When I sear-roast one of those along with the filet medallions, the flatter end of the filet triangle comes out medium, which is perfect for her. Otherwise, I think you're just going to have to double-time the cooking - turning or taking your portions off the heat earlier than your spouse's portions. I do that especially with burgers, as MIL really isn't fond of the rare/medium-rare we do our bison/g. beef mix. It is a little bit of hassle, but worth it since we don't have to endure overcooked meat. Yet another reason why I like to eat out, LOL.......See MoreLOOKING for: Old fashion Oxtail Stew
Comments (6)I've made this for my family for years. I've made it in a pressure cooker and in the oven and on top of the stove.... depending on how much time I had to watch it, and when I needed it done, and what else was going on with the oven. (In the oven in heavy Dutch Oven or roasting pan preferred. ) In the Fall and Winter are the best times to find these. You need to look for ones that have a greater meat ratio then fat. They usually come in a package with one cut-up tail, so the pieces are each one joint (they are part of the spine) biggest to smallest. I always figure how many people I'm feeding to estimate how many meat/bone pieces and vegetables I'll be needing. I dust the pieces with flour and brown in fat/oil, turning until all sides are nicely browned. You'll need to do this just a few at a time because you don't want to crowd them or they won't brown properly. Remove from pan and set aside. I cut up a big onion, several carrots, and celery into chunks.... however much you want... per tail. Add vegetables to pan after removing meat, and "sweat" the vegetables until onions are semi-cooked and glossy-looking. Add meat back into pan.... or whatever pan is appropriate to how you're cooking it; ei: pressure cooker, roasting pan, or stovetop cooker. I usually do this in the pan I'm going to cook them in so I get all that nice brown stuff off the bottom too. Add good beef broth... maybe 2 cups per tail. salt and pepper and a Bay Leaf. If pressure cooking: 1/2 hour + for a tail, more if more meat. ( I personally don't like pressure cooked meat; I don't think the flavors develop as well.) If doing on top of the stove or 300ºF oven it will take 3-4 hours of roasting/cooking with some stirring for stove-top so it doesn't burn. You'll need to watch the liquid in both of these so they don't cook-dry. The meat is done when the meat is loose on the bone. I serve this over thick noodles, rice, etc. in a wide soup bowl. Notes: * You will need about 4 bones per person, giving each adult: 1 big, 2 middle and one or two of the smaller bones. * This is very rich. * Too many carrots will make the stew sweet. * You will need a good Syrah or Zinfandel or Ale to drink with it. * We pick-up the smaller bones to eat with fingers... actually... even the bigger ones, but someone who is very dexterous with a steak knife can probably manage too. * Sliced/diced steamed green cabbage can be served along-side; or actually laid on top of the stew the last few minutes to cook. (I dislike over-cooked cabbage.) I hope this helps even tho' it isn't a precise recipe....See MoreIn praise of overcooked vegetables part two
Comments (11)I love raw beans even the ones that taste like fresh mown hay, lol. Squeaky also. And split and cooked over-done but not watery and boiled. Boiled to death get a weird diesel fuel hint flavor. (can't figure that one out.) Mt aunt may have added a load of sugar/vinegar combo...or a bottled dressing. Cauliflower was re-introduced when i sliced semi-thick and roasted. Without much help from even butter it does get a nice caramelized flavor. Broccoli is still not allowed but i like it raw. Rabe is only good from our garden. And early Spring harvest, then gets tough and harsh tasting. (always a risk buying at the market). Just bought the best organic celery i have ever had from California. Thin stalks and big heavy greens and tops. Intensely rich celery flavor and minor strings....See Moreplllog
3 years agoplllog
3 years ago
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
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