The Ultimate Guide to Stew: Recipes & Tips from the Experts
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Want to take your stew from skillful to stewpendous? We'll show y'all how.
Stew has a reputation for existence a rib-sticking meal that warms yous up on a cold, winter solar day. It's true; a bowl of classic beef stew does have warming backdrop, but stew's comfort factor goes way beyond protecting yous from the chill. Information technology's all well-nigh those tender chunks of meat and vegetables, swimming in a thick, ultra-rich gravy. The way they come together creates the ultimate comfort food, no matter the weather.
If you really want to showcase your cooking skills in the easiest way possible, proceed a few stew recipes in your back pocket. What do you need to know to make a smashing stew? We'll get-go with the nuts and move on to specific tips to help yous make the best stew e'er.
What Is Stew, Anyway?
The word "stew" tin refer to both a dish and a cooking method. Stewing involves slowly cooking chunks of meat, vegetables or beans in a flavorful liquid. Information technology'due south similar to braising, just it does have a few notable differences. The meat is chopped into smaller pieces instead of being cooked whole, and the liquid completely covers the contents in a stew as compared to a braise's halfway full. When meat or vegetables are cooked using this method, the resulting dish is chosen stew.
What Is the Departure Between Soup and Stew?
When comparing soup vs. stew, information technology's important to take a look at the amount of liquid the dish contains. The focus of a soup is the liquid, which fills your bowl when you lot pour it. Many times, a soup is pureed so it's polish. A stew, on the other paw, is all about the soft and tender chunks of meat, vegetables or whole beans. Think about your favorite batch of chili. You lot wouldn't phone call it a soup, correct? That's because information technology has less liquid than soup, and it's often thick like a gravy. Because information technology takes time to reduce the liquid into this state, stews generally accept longer to cook than soups, too.
How Do You Thicken Stew?
For a stew to be stew, the liquid must reduce down to become overnice and thick. Some stew recipes accomplish this with a roux (a combination of flour and butter) while others use thickening ingredients like tomato paste. Some may only contain starchy ingredients (like potatoes) to thicken the soup naturally as it simmers.
We've found that stews made in a Dutch oven turn out thicker than ones in a slow cooker or Instant Pot. With a Dutch oven, you can remove the chapeau or set it partially closed to allow the liquid to evaporate, thickening the stew more than efficiently. If you make stew in a tedious cooker and it turns out thinner than you'd hoped, try using one of these methods to thicken a stew.
What Are Different Types of Stew?
Similar soup, there are tons of different types of stew, but they all start with the same basic concept: Large chunks of meat, seafood, vegetables or beans simmered in a flavorful liquid — goop, vino, beer, tomato juice or even water.
The about traditional type stew is beef stew, made with chunks of beefiness, potatoes and carrots swimming in a vino-rich sauce. Other popular favorites include seafood stews like cioppino, hearty bean stews like cassoulet, vegetable-only stews and stews that feature lamb, pork or chicken.
What Is the All-time Meat for Stew?
There are a number of fantastic vegetarian and plant-based stews, so don't feel like you accept to employ meat to make a hearty stew. But, if you are planning to use meat, using the correct stew meat is crucial to making the perfect stew. Y'all'll desire to choose a tough cut of meat, like chuck roast, brisket, pork shoulder, lamb shoulder or leg of lamb. These cuts contain collagen-rich connective tissue, which turns into gelatin as it cooks. That non simply keeps the meat tender, only it likewise enriches and thickens the gravy.
We like to get-go with boneless roasts and chop the meat into large chunks earlier cooking, but craven is the exception. Bone-in craven has a meliorate take chances of staying juicy and moist over long simmering times, so become ahead and leave it on the os. You tin can cut the meat into seize with teeth-sized pieces after it cooks.
What Tools Do y'all Need for Making Stew?
Aside from a sharp knife and a ladle, you need very few tools to pull off the perfect stew. Our favorite pot for making stew is a Dutch oven. Once information technology heats up, it holds heat uncommonly well, and you can employ it on the stovetop or in the oven. It besides has a tight-fitting hat, something that's essential for stew making. If you're looking for a more hands-off cooking method, y'all can certainly utilize a slow cooker or Instant Pot instead.
Our Examination Kitchen recommends using a cutting board that'south big enough to suit all of the prep work for your stew. Think: chopping vegetables and cubing beef. In each of the kitchen workspaces at our HQ, we have a couple of Boos Blocks ($115) that do simply the trick. If yous're purchasing one for yourself, simply recollect to sanitize after cutting meat, and treat with a conditioning oil every few months.
That'southward pretty much it! Since almost stew recipes brand large quantities, it's non a bad idea to invest in some good storage containers. You can meal prep stew past making a batch on Lord's day and portioning it out for the calendar week. If y'all take actress leftovers, don't be afraid to pop 'em in the freezer for another day.
The #1 Tip for Making Best-E'er Stew
We have several tips for making the best-ever stew, but the most important one is to be patient. You lot can't brand groovy stew quickly. It takes time for the collagen-rich meat to pause downwardly or dried beans to cook all the fashion through. You can use a shortcut method like an Instant Pot, just we've found the most flavorful stews need to simmer for at least two hours. After all that time, your stew should exist rich, flavorful and naturally thick.
How Do You Brand Stew Healthy?
It's surprisingly easy to put a healthy spin on your favorite stew recipe.
- Cull a salubrious protein: The healthiest stews feature lean meats (like shrimp, pork, lamb or chicken), fiber-rich beans and actress vegetables.
- Skip the recipes that include heavy foam and expect to the ones that use lighter (but nevertheless flavorful) ingredients, similar chicken broth or lycopersicon esculentum sauce.
- Try whole-grains: You can too amp-up the stew'south food value past using whole-wheat pasta or whole-grains like chocolate-brown rice, farro, barley or quinoa.
Finally, don't be afraid to add actress vegetables to your stew. The cobweb in vegetables adds majority to your nutrition without calculation also many extra calories, filling you upward more rapidly. Try experimenting with hearty vegetables like wintertime squash, greens, turnips, rutabaga, sweet potatoes, beets, carrots and parsnips. For more delicate vegetables like zucchini, mushrooms and bell peppers, we suggest cooking them separately and adding them at the end.
What Sides Go Well with Stew?
At present that yous're a master stew-maker, it'due south fourth dimension to find a get-to focaccia breadstuff recipe. Whatsoever type of bread works well equally a side to stew—like a crusty baguette or a batch of soft dinner rolls. But focaccia is the easiest staff of life to make at home. You likely have all the ingredients on hand to make it from scratch, or y'all can save some time and use frozen dough.
Depending on the stew, sometimes nosotros opt to skip the staff of life and serve it over egg noodles, white or dark-brown rice, quinoa or hearty grains similar barley and farro. A batch of mashed potatoes or creamy polenta pairs especially well with hearty meat stews, especially if it's cold outside. For warmer days, you lot can't become incorrect with a green salad like Caesar or a fresh vegetable salad. Check out the rest of our all-time stew sides for inspiration.
Crusty Bootleg Bread
Crackling bootleg breadstuff makes a hearty stew extraordinary. Bask this beautiful crusty bread recipe every bit is, or stir in a few favorites similar cheese, garlic, herbs and stale fruits. —Megumi Garcia, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Traditional Mashed Potatoes
Mashed potatoes make a wonderful accompaniment to most any meal, and so keep this recipe handy. — Gustation of Abode Test Kitchen
Basic Brownish Rice
Rice can exist one of the best complements to your homemade beef stew. It'south also 1 of the simplest to make. Our foolproof guide for how to cook brown rice will assist you forth the way.
Balsamic Dark-green Bean Salad
Serve up those dark-green beans in a whole new fashion–with a green bean salad recipe! The tangy flavors and crunch of these balsamic green beans complement any special repast or holiday potluck. —Megan Spencer, Farmington Hills, Michigan
Fluffy Biscuits
If yous're looking for a flaky basic biscuit, this recipe is the all-time. These gold dark-brown rolls bake upwards tall, light and tender. They're expert on their own, but taste even better served warm and spread with butter or jam. —Nancy Horsburgh, Everett, Ontario
Sour Cream Cucumbers
Nosotros have a tradition at our firm to serve this flossy cucumber salad with the other Hungarian specialties my mom learned to make from the women at church. It's especially skilful during the summer when the cucumbers are freshly picked from the garden. —Pamela Eaton, Monclova, Ohio
Tiresome-Roasted Root Vegetables
When she was a niggling girl growing up in Italy, my Aunt Virginia learned to make a dish called "Noodles and Nuts." I tried the topping on carrots and parsnips instead of noodles and oasis't looked back. —Terri Collins, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Fresh Carbohydrate Snap Pea Salad
We plant fresh saccharide snap peas at our town's farmers marketplace. They make a cheerful salad with a tangy dressing. —Courtney Stultz, Weir, Kansas
Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes
These flossy garlic mashed potatoes are then practiced, you can serve them plainly—no butter or gravy is needed. This is i of our favorite crimson tater recipes. —Valerie Mitchell, Olathe, Kansas
Heirloom Lycopersicon esculentum Salad
This is a simple nevertheless elegant dish that ever pleases my guests. Not merely is information technology tasty, but it is good for you, too. The more varied the colors of the tomatoes yous cull, the prettier the salad will be. —Jess Apfe, Berkeley, California
Grandma's Onion Squares
My grandma brought this recipe with her when she emigrated from Italia as a young wife and mother. It is still a family favorite. —Janet Eddy, Stockton, California
Roasted Asparagus Risotto
This recipe'south wow factor makes it perfect for special occasions. To save time, the asparagus and prosciutto can be roasting while the rice cooks on the stovetop. Then both volition be ready to stir into the risotto by the fourth dimension the rice is done. —Deonna Mazur, Buffalo, New York
Triple Mash with Horseradish Breadstuff Crumbs
Why settle for traditional mashed potatoes when you lot can enjoy iii times the season? Combine spuds with rutabaga and parsnips, along with the zip of horseradish, for a taste treat. —Lily Julow, Lawrenceville, Georgia
Mom's Italian Bread
I remember Mom used to bake at least four of these tender loaves at once, and they never lasted long. She served the breadstuff with every Italian meal. I dear it toasted, too. —Linda Harrington, Windham, New Hampshire
Colcannon Potatoes
Every Irish family unit has its ain colcannon recipe, since it'south a classic dish. My recipe comes from my father's family unit in Republic of ireland. Information technology's role of my St. Pat'south menu, forth with lamb chops, carrots and soda bread. —Marilou Robinson, Portland, Oregon
Swiss Beer Breadstuff
This recipe is a favorite of my family because information technology isn't greasy similar most of the other cheese breads I have tried. It will non concluding long! —Debi Wallace, Chestertown, New York
Rosemary Roasted Potatoes and Asparagus
Showcase asparagus when you clothes information technology in fresh rosemary and cerise potatoes for an earthy counterpoint to the fresh, light-green spears. Add minced garlic and you get a gorgeous, flavorful side dish. —Trisha Kruse, Hawkeye, Idaho
Archetype Make-Ahead Mashed Potatoes
These make-ahead mashed potatoes save me a ton of time on Christmas 24-hour interval. No more frantically whipping the potatoes while hungry family and guests hang around the kitchen! —Marty Rummel, Trout Lake, Washington
Garden Love apple Salad
For as long every bit I can remember, Mom fabricated a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers. Now I brand information technology whenever beautiful tomatoes are in reach. —Shannon Arthur, Upper Arlington, Ohio
Parsnips & Turnips au Gratin
Yous don't demand potatoes to brand a delicious au gratin dish! Sometimes I even substitute rutabaga for the turnips. I definitely cherish having this recipe in my collection. —Priscilla Gilbert, Indian Harbour Beach, Florida
Slow-Cooker Loaded Mashed Potatoes
Every year my Mom made foam cheese mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. I tailored the recipe to my family unit's taste and carried on the tradition. I make them a day ahead and use my slow cooker to costless up oven infinite for other dishes. —Ann Nolte, Tampa, Florida
Ginger-Apricot Tossed Salad
This dish is a nice change from ordinary green salad and is elegant enough for company. The dressing is i of my favorites. Its sugariness complements the crisp greens and crunchy green beans. —Trisha Kruse, Hawkeye, Idaho
Feta 'northward' Chive Muffins
This is a spring variation on the savory muffins my married man has fabricated for years. It has a light texture well-nigh like a popover and tastes best eaten hot right from the oven. —Angela Buchanan, Boulder, Colorado
Tiresome-Cooked Creamy Rice
This wonderful side dish goes well with any meat stew. I use whatever fresh herbs I have on hand along with the chopped parsley to add even more flavor. —Laura Crane, Leetonia, Ohio
No-Knead Harvest Staff of life
While the rise time is long, yous'll spend simply minutes mixing the ingredients for this incredible bread. This chewy, flavorful bread has a crisp chaff.—Gustatory modality of Home Test Kitchen
Arugula & Chocolate-brown Rice Salad
When nosotros have visitor, arugula with chocolate-brown rice is always on the menu. It's my get-to pick for the potluck and political party circuit, and I'grand e'er sharing the recipe. —Mindy Oswalt, Winnetka, California
Brown Rice and Vegetables
This filling rice dish, full of large chunks of butternut squash and sweetness potatoes, is a standout combination of sweet and savory flavors. —Gustation of Home Exam Kitchen
Source: https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/stew/
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