Each of us may have a specific image and taste in our mind when we think beef stew, but it's a safe bet we will all have a different answer.
Now, I've built a passable emergency beef stew out of canned goods with 30 minutes notice. The peoples ate, and were happy. In the end, that's what matters... isn't it?
That said, it can be an angelic dish of properly melded flavors that kindles a warmth in the soul. Reaching that point takes one of the most important ingredients in cooking; Time. Time and maybe some thought as well.
In my small world, I love to 'build' a good beef stew, and here are some of the guidelines I follow.
* The beef in beef stew can be anything really, but there is a best cut with a best way to be handled. I prefer chuck, as in chuck roast, but there is a process. First, this is planned long before the stew is actually built (Yes, built, layer upon layer of flavor and texture).
A family dinner sometime before stew day will be roast beef with veggies. The roast will be slow cooked in a Dutch oven, and potatoes and carrots will either be roasted with it or on the side. There must be enough roast left over to more than make the stew. Also save any roast veggies, potatoes, and any leftover gravy. They will all serve in the stew.
The magic here in handling the beef is this. The leftover chuck roast must be refrigerated overnight, at least one night, before stew day. There is something about this process of moist slow cooking, bringing it cold, and then re-cooking as chunks simmering in the stew that makes the beef incredibly tender and flavorful. It WILL shred itself, given time. That's your call.
* Cook everything. By that, I mean all the ingredients are cooked before they hit the stew pot, and then are cooked again together. The bit of extra work it takes to brown and sauté the veggies will bring a host of extra flavor to the party. This can be done in a fry pan with some butter, or by roasting in a very hot oven till things get brown, and maybe even slightly blackened around the edges.
What should be sautéed or roasted like this? Any hardy vegetables you will be using. Not the herbs or spices, as they are a bit delicate for this treatment. I'm talking about onions, potatoes, parsnips, turnips, carrots, celery... all of which my beef stew will have in it. These veggies, course chopped, will flavor-splode when cooked to a golden sear. This can't be done in a stew pot!
* Cutting the beef and veggies properly. Whether you like a fine dice or a rustic rough chop, the key is getting all it chopped alike. The cut will effect the cook time, final texture, and joy in eating the stew. Some folks like a challenging lump of beef staring at them from the spoon, while others want to spread their stew on buttered bread and eat it like a slice of pizza. You choose which when you apply knife to board.
* Now, texture matters. Beef and veggies roasted the day before will eventually crumble after hours of simmering in the stew pot. This is a good thing, even a grand thing. They are tender and have released all their flavor into the pot. On the other hand, some of us like to bite into something in each spoonful. Something not turned totally soft. Something with it's own identity. To do this, reserve some of the beef and roast veggies. Put them into the pot for the last 30-45 minutes of simmering. They'll cook through, but retain their individual flavor and texture.
There is a reason to using the roast veggies left over from the meal, and also vegetables and potatoes done specifically fresh for the stew. The different handling and cook times will have the ingredients behaving differently. While the left over 'twice cooked' potatoes and carrots will break up far sooner into the stew, the fresher ones will retain some body of their own.
* If you are putting peas in the mix, use frozen peas, and add them in no more than 20 minutes before serving. Trust me on that.
* Liquids.... yes, you need that. The veggies and meat will give up some, but we need enough to make a simmering pot come to life. Here's the thing; We could use water, but why give up the opportunity? Make it a point to have every single thing you add to the pot bringing it's own spirit to the game. Instead of water, use beef stock, chicken stock, Lager beer, or a mixture of these. If you enjoy a glass of wine while cooking, don't forget a tip of the bottle for the pot!
* Speaking of flavor, we need to remember that our foods contain flavors we love, but they need help to deliver on that promise.
Flavors are soluble, and that helps them reach our tongue. But, and it's a big But, not all flavors dissolve by the same cooking method. Some need heat, while some need water. Some flavors demand acid before they will come to the party, and others demand alcohol. Many flavors will only dissolve in fat, which has it's own flavor to carefully choose (Butter!).The most important ingredient that helps flavor along is the simplest one of all; Time. A stew that's simmered for two hours does not taste the same as one that's cooked for six.
* Spices, herbs, and such. Most of these want added at the end of the process. They will remain brighter, sharper, and less muddled if we mix them in for the final hour or two. An exception is garlic. If you are using larger chunks of fresh garlic (as you should!) then they can simmer all day. Small bits of crushed garlic, or (may the angels weep) powdered garlic should go in the end.
* To paste or not to paste? Talking about tomato paste here. If you like a deep brown stew that's a little sharper to the tongue, a little can of tomato paste can do that trick. I like to add a few tablespoons of it at a time, and stir well between additions. It doesn't always want the entire can, and the flavor can be a bit overpowering. Add a bit, stir, simmer, taste, and maybe add a bit more.
Of course, it's doesn't need any tomato paste at all if you chose not to. No worries, this is the cooks canvas to play on!
* Barley, wheat berries, or beans..... if you want, go right to it. Any of those can stretch the dish and bring their own soul into the pot. I like pearled barley, but herself does not. It's a matter of taste and choice. In using any of these, allow for sufficient cook time, as in hours.
I think you will find the base ingredients, simmered long and slow with whatever liquids you chose will reward you with enough flavor that the spice cabinet can take a back seat. Save that final hour for adjusting flavor. In fact, I seldom taste my stew until that point, and I always invite anyone at home to join me in the tasting and adjusting. It's a family thing.
*Thickening. No, we don't need a roux or cornstarch or even Masa (which I use in Chili). The thickener is already in the stew, in the form of the potatoes. As the spuds cook, the starch granules in them will hydrate and begin breaking up. This thickens the stew while bringing even more flavor to the game.
So, stirring is not optional in a great stew. Think five minutes out of every thirty, spent gently stirring the pot. It used to be called 'adding the love', and that's not far off.
Now, what if you are doing a down and dirty fast stew for a house full of hungry teenagers and other assorted ruffians? You don't HAVE six hours of simmering and stirring to make it happen.
Here is a cooks trick to use in that situation. Pull a few cups of your simmering stew and place them in a blender. Add a splash of cold milk, and hold the lid on the blender with a thick towel. Give the machine enough pulses that everything is well chopped and blended. Pour it all back into the stew pot, and stir it in. Abracadabra... thick stew!
Stew is really an expression of the cook's will, if not their soul. It rewards thought, patience, planning, and all the loving. It all comes out in the bowl at the end.
