Beef stew

January 16, 2021meza-admin

Prep time: 30 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours

Serves: 6 people

If old brutalist buildings could write cookbooks, this recipe would be on the main floor. You know, that soupy, slightly meaty smell that soaks up in the thick nuclear bomb proof walls of your grandma’s place.

The meat: Picking the right cut.

What might come to your wonder, the best cuts of beef for long simmering stews are the most inexpensive ones. Has it come across your mind to dice up a tender cut like, say ribeye and cook it in to a stew? It’s beautifully tender and moist just from kissing the grill for a couple of minutes, simmering it for hours will make it melt in your mouth, right? Well, no, quite the opposite actually.

The secret behind this phenomenom is collagen. Collagen is a very strong and stiff protein of which the connective tissue in meat is composed. Weight-bearing muscles and muscles that are constantly under burden contain higher amounts of collagen than muscles that aren’t used as frequently.

so how does higher collagen level affect meat tenderness when cooked?

Simmering a tender cut like before mentioned ribeye that contains low amounts of collagen will cause the fats in the meat to melt away into the stew, leaving you with a chewy block of meat. Simmering a high collagen content cut like shoulder, the collagen in the meat will melt away with time and transform into gelatin. Unlike simply vanished fat, gelatin is soft and jiggly and gives your meat that “melt in your mouth” texture. Of course, this process does not occur quickly that’s why it’s always necessary to simmer a stew for a longer period of time.

The best cuts for stews:

  • chuck/shoulder cut
  • round cut
  • tail
  • shank cut
  • brisket

Handling the cut:

Now that you’ve picked your desired cut for the stew it’s important to prepare it accordingly. The most important rule to keep in mind is to cut the meat against the grain. Not only is this method a much less of a fuss to cut but will make your meat even more tender.

Remove the meat only of silverskin, as no matter how long it’s cooked, silverskin will always remain rubbery and chewy.

The veg:

When it comes to veggies I like bringing in life to my stew and making it more vibrant and colorful. Apart from the standard onions, celery root gives it a hint of sweetness and adding carrots near the end leaves that slightly crunchy mouth feel. Finely dicing parsley stems is a great way of preserving and building up it’s taste for a dish that is cooked a long period of time.

If on the other hand you’re not as fond of various veggies, what you’ll be left with is basically a Goulash, which is also very delicious!

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  • Prep time: 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 2 hours
  • Total time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Serves: 6 people

Ingredients

Ingredients:

  • 1 kg beef round
  • 500 gr onion, diced
  • 100 gr celery root, diced
  • 5-10 sprigs parsley, finely diced
  • 300 gr potatoes, diced
  • 200 gr green peas
  • 300 gr carrot, finely diced
  • 70 gr pancetta, diced
  • 5 cloves garlic
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 2 cloves
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon tomato paste
  • beef stock

Method

  • 1)

    Start by preparing your meat. Cut the meat into 1.5-2cm chunks.

  • 2)

    Take a heavy bottom pot and place on medium-high heat. Cover the base with olive oil and toss in your meat. (be vary not to overcrowd your pot, making the meat sweat and prevent from searing, if you have too much meat and too little pot; sear the meat in batches.)

  • 3)

    As the meat starts to cook it will leak moisture. Maintaining medium-high heat, stir the meat every now and then until all the water has evaporated and each chunk of meat has ashieved a beautiful crust on all sides.

  • 4)

    Now set your meat aside and toss in your diced onions, celery, parsley, pancetta and bay leaves into the pot on medium-high heat.

  • 5)

    Saute the mirepoix stirring and scraping the bottom of the pot frequently. It’s important to stir the base frequently so the brown bits left by the caramelisation of the meat don’t burn off, but rather infuse into the mirepoix. Saute until onions are beautifully golden brown, completely tender and translucent.

  • 6)

    Once sauteed as described, toss in your finely minced garlic and stir for a minute.

  • 7)

    Now add in your tomato paste, nutmeg, cloves, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to taste and stir for another minute.

  • 8)

    Once all the spices have combined with the base, place back your meat and stir shortly.

  • 9)

    Now pour in your beef stock enough to cover all of the ingredients. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, maintaining a gentle simmer.

  • 10)

    Cook until reduced by half for at least 90 minutes and the meat is completely fall apart tender. (The longer you cook the more complex flavour will develop.)

  • 11)

    20 minutes before your desired doneness, toss in your diced potatoes and carrots, 10 minutes after, toss in your green peas.

Nutrition

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