Quick And Easy Beef Stew Recipe - Mom's Crockpot Beef Stew (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to tender beef stew? ›

The secret to tender beef stew lies in slow braising short ribs and marbled chuck roast in a red wine and beef broth. This gentle simmer transforms the meat into incredibly tender pieces that practically fall apart with a fork. Tender root vegetables, like carrots and potatoes, complete this hearty dish.

Add spices such as turmeric, coriander and cumin at the early stage of cooking, when you are frying onions and garlic, to enhance the taste of the beef stew. Fresh herbs like coriander and bay leaves also contribute a distinct flavour without making the dish too spicy for the younger members of the family.

"Soups and stews really need to simmer for long periods to allow the ingredients to meld together. Taking that a step further, most soups and stews are better if you prepare them the day before serving. Allowing them to cool and then reheating them really helps bring out the flavors and textures."

The most important key to making stew meat tender is being sure to cook it for a long time. If you want super tender beef, you'll need to cook it on a low heat in a Dutch oven on the stove or a slow cooker for at least a few hours.

Simmering the stew with the lid ON allows the connective tissues in the beef to break down. Removing the lid then continuing to simmer with it OFF allows the beef to finish becoming tender and thicken the broth.

Laurence further reveals that "adding wine or other alcohol brings out different flavors (those that are alcohol-soluble) that wouldn't otherwise be expressed in the dish. There are flavors in tomatoes that are alcohol-soluble, so adding red wine along with tomato paste also helps to enhance beef stew."

Tomato paste adds crucial flavor and body to the stew meat when cooked with herbs, garlic and wine.

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

How to Substitute Tomato Sauce or Puree for Tomato Paste. You don't have to dash out to the store if you're out of tomato paste; tomato sauce and tomato puree are both an excellent substitute. For every 1 tablespoon of tomato paste needed, use 3 tablespoons of tomato puree or sauce.

Why put vinegar in beef stew? ›

The paradox of beef stew is that all that braised goodness can be a bit heavy on the palate. It's easy to forget to add some wine, vinegar, or yes, even lemon juice, to brighten things up. Adding some fresh thyme in the last 30 minutes of cooking can brighten up the stew as well.

Short rib is one of the best stew meats for rich and hearty stews because of its robust flavor and large surface area that absorbs the sauce during the long cooking time. These short ribs also contain a great deal of connective tissue, which breaks down in the slow cooker to produce a very soft and succulent meat.

It's not a gravy—you shouldn't be adding a roux or flour or cornstarch. If you do prefer your stew on the thicker side, though, you can toss your beef in flour or cornstarch before you sear it—the bits left behind will thicken your stew and add deeper flavor.

Add the wine and tomato paste to the onions and other aromatics in a pan before slow cooking. Plus, this helps to really deglaze any fond that's left. This ingredient is one that your mum and nan would probably use in their stews. It adds a bit of tang, sweetness and savoury spices that give an extra punch of flavour.

The choice becomes easier when you realize that simple baking soda can be an ideal meat tenderizer that helps to bring out all the aromas and flavors in every sizzling beef stew or charburger.

The beef in beef stew can be made soft and tender by cooking it for a long time over low heat. This breaks down the tough connective tissues in the beef, making it more tender.

In short, yes! A little baking soda can be used to tenderize meat. Note that the best use for this is on thinner steaks and ground beef burgers that will have a wide surface area when cooked. It won't be effective with tough cuts of meat like stew meat, which are best made tender with a low and slow braise.