Beef Stew with Beer, Bacon and Beans

Beef Stew

For January 20, 2011

When you look out the window and see piles of snow or you contemplate the still silence of leafless trees, it’s stew weather. Time to stay inside, keep warm, have a cup of tea and cook up a slow-simmering dish for dinner.

Beef stew is slow. Very slow. Time is what makes it tender and succulent. It needs patience. But not a lot of work. You can get all the ingredients together, start the cooking and take the rest of the day off. Dinner will be ready when you finish that book or a movie double feature.

As for those ingredients – basic stew doesn’t require much. Meat, a liquid, seasonings. Vegetables if you wish. It’s one of those dishes that inspires creativity. Look in your produce bin or pantry and see what’s there. You can probably use it.

You do need the right beef though. There are several choices, among them bottom or top round, shin, cross-rib and chuck, all portions that don’t do well when grilled or cooked quickly like steak or roasted in the dry heat of an oven. These muscular pieces do better with low heat and plenty of moisture, which break down the connective tissue and transform them from tough to tender.

You might see packages of “stew beef” in the market. It’s fine, but not the best option. Although the meat comes from the appropriate sections, butchers cut the pieces too small. Tough meat shrinks when you stew it, so it’s smarter to start out with bigger chunks. A thick chuck roast, which is amazingly flavorful, would be top choice. Cut it yourself into 1-3/4 to 2--inch chunks. Figure about 2-1/2 to 3 pounds of meat for 4 to 6 people.

Most people brown the meat first. It’s a good idea because the browned bits at the bottom of the pan give extra flavor, especially if you’ve coated the chunks with seasoned flour first.

Stew is a good place to use the leftover wine from last night, but plain water will do as long as you add some other flavor elements such as salt, pepper or other spices or herbs. Other fluids to consider? Beer, ale or stock, water rich vegetables (onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and cabbage and so on) and even ingredients such as tomato sauce, chili sauce, soy sauce, coffee and ketchup. Add enough to keep the ingredients well bathed, but not so much that they’ll drown – about 3 cups for about 3 pounds of meat, depending on other ingredients. Check the pot a couple of times while the stew simmers to be sure there’s enough liquid for a good gravy. Obviously, if you intend to include liquid-absorbing pasta and such, you’ll need more. Stew gravy should be gently thick, if not, strain the juices when the stew is done and boil the liquids over high heat to reduce them to the desired consistency. Or puree some of the fluids with some of the vegetables, if used.

Vegetables add bulk, flavor and color and they change beef stew from meat entree to one-pot dinner. Classic recipes call for onions, potatoes and carrots, and sometimes peas and mushrooms. But if you branch out a bit you can prepare dozens of different recipes using more or less the same formula. Parsnips, beans, pumpkin or other winter squash, bell peppers, small white onions, cauliflower and broccoli are all durable enough to withstand the needs of a stewpot. Add the vegetables (other than the onions) after the meat has cooked for awhile or else they’ll soften too much.

Please your own palate with the seasonings you use. Almost anything goes: parsley, bay leaf and thyme, but also fresh rosemary or tarragon; spices such as cumin, chili powder or even cinnamon. Add hot chili peppers if you enjoy a dish that’s fiery; soy sauce and star anise will give stew an Asian flair; tomatoes, olives, garlic, orange peel and raisins would make it Mediterranean style. Or substitute dried mushrooms for fresh, for a more intense woodsy taste.

When your stew is done, you can eat it right then and there. But stew can also wait 2-3 days in the fridge. Saving it for another day lets you scoop any fat that rises to the surface. You could also double a recipe and packaged portions for freezer storage.

Beef stew is versatile and forgiving. Experiment with it. Winter is long and more snow will come. More days of still, leafless trees. More time to make a warm, welcoming, aromatic and slowly cooked dinner.

Basic Beef Stew

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon paprika

2-1/2 to 3 pounds beef chuck roast

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 large onions, quartered

1 large clove garlic, chopped

1-1/2 cups red wine

1-1/2 cups beef stock

1 bay leaf

2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

3-4 sprigs fresh parsley

4 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

4-6 carrots, cut into chunks

1 cup frozen peas

10-12 ounces mushrooms, left whole or halved if large

Combine the flour, salt, pepper and paprika in a dish. Cut the meat into large chunks, about 2-inches. Dredge the meat in the flour mixture, coating all sides. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large, heat-proof casserole over medium-high heat. Using a few chunks at a time, cook the meat on all sides for 5-6 minutes or until lightly browned. Do not crowd the pan. Remove each piece to a plate as it browns. When all the meat has browned, add the remaining tablespoon vegetable oil to the pan. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Pour in the wine and stock, raise the heat and bring to a boil. Simmer for 12-15 minutes or until the liquid has reduced slightly. Return the meat to the pan. Add the bay leaf, thyme and parsley. Cover the pan, Turn the heat to low or place in the oven at 225 degrees. Cook for 2 hours. Add the potatoes and carrots and cook, covered for another 30 minutes. Add the peas and mushrooms and cook for another 15 minutes or until the meat and vegetables are very tender. Remove the bay leaf, thyme and parsley sprigs. Makes 4-6 servings