Beef stew recipe | Jamie Oliver (2024)

FAQs

What is the basic stew formula? ›

The Ideal Stew Ratio: Two Parts Meat, One Part Vegetable

Most meat-based stews call for tough, inexpensive cuts of meat, while vegetarian recipes include the same onions, carrots, and celery typical of a beef stew. Two parts meat to one part vegetables is the perfect ratio for a meaty stew.

The first step to a flavorful stew is browning the meat. Searing it over high heat gives the meat a deeper, richer flavor thanks to the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction that browns and caramelizes the exterior of the meat.

Use a tight-fitting lid and keep it on while stewing to prevent moisture and heat loss, which can affect cooking time. Follow your recipe for timing guidelines. Do not lift the lid — unless you are recipe calls for adding vegetables or other ingredients later on. You will know it is done when the meat is fork tender.

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."

A bit of tomato paste amps up the flavor of beef stew, giving it a richness and a punch of umami that makes the stew truly memorable.

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.

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.

What is the tastiest meat for stew? ›

Chuck. Chuck is one of the leaner types of beef, making it perfect for stews because it melts into delicious pieces as it cooks. A chuck roast has a large amount of connective tissue, which allows it to retain its moisture during the cooking process.

Like 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 — broth, wine, beer, tomato juice or even water.

Ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef, pork, venison, rabbit, lamb, poultry, sausages, and seafood. While water can be used as the stew-cooking liquid, stock is also common.

Ingredients in a stew can include any combination of vegetables, such as carrots, potatoes, beans, onions, peppers, tomatoes, etc., and frequently with meat, especially tougher meats suitable for moist, slow cooking, such as beef chuck or round. Poultry, pork, lamb or mutton, sausages, and seafood are also used.

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.