Beef stew

Beef stew is never sassy.

Stop calling it beef stew and call it goulash; add some smoked and/or hot paprika and that should be sassy enough for anyone.

I’m sorry—even if you call it goulash, it ain’t sassy.

Perhaps chili. No beans.

What do you mean "beef chunks"? What cut of beef are you using?

sprinkle some red pepper flakes and instead of tomato paste use Thai red curry paste

It's beef round stew meat from Whole Foods, r4. Maybe I will use paprika and beer for the base. What other spices should I use? I don't like mixing Asian flavors with Western dishes.

Don't turn it into chili. Add something subtle, like some minced ginger...adds a little flavor, and a little spiciness.

I knew i guy in college named Bif Stuh

What do you mean "Asian flavors"? If you're talking about soy sauce, it can go, undetectable, into lots of dishes (like how anchovies do).

What kind of beer? Be careful with dark beer. The flavor can overtake your dish. I would stick with lager.

OP-I didn't know you were a VEGETARIAN.

Be sure to cut the beef chunks into smaller pieces, or it will take a long, long time to cook.

[quote] What do you mean "Asian flavors"?

That was in response to the Thai pepper paste suggestion. I have Stella on hand. I don't care for dark beer.

[quote] Be sure to cut the beef chunks into smaller pieces, or it will take a long, long time to cook.

That's what "stew" is. Something cooked slowly (for a long time).

Yeah, the chunks came in stew meat form. Whole Foods has good quality meat. I'll use a slow cooker to make the stew tomorrow. I'm just not sure how to flavor it. I like the ginger and paprika ideas. What spices go with paprika? I've got lots of spices around.

R14- cayenne

Throw in a clove or two. Bay leaf, peas, corn, green beans.

Less is more, sometimes, OP. I love ginger, but I probably wouldn't use ginger in a beef stew. I would use just paprika (a lot, though) and maybe an herb mixture (herbes de Provence, Italian herbs mix or plain rosemary). That's about all, spice-wise.

I would also caramelize the onions. Yes, takes longer, but guaranteed good flavor.

Garlic, yes.

Lager beer, yes.

Dredge the meat in flour and brown before adding it to the slow cooker, otherwise it will become a very unappetizing shade of grey.

In the 1980's our maid/cleaning woman on Friday would make the most FABULOUS Beef Stew- her name was Nannie.

I went to the store for green beans, but I couldn't find any.

IMO, beef stew should have potatoes and carrots. That's all you need as far as vegetables. Some people hate carrots, so you can leave that out. Potatoes are a must-have, though.

I agree r21.

I use kale in my beef stew because it's a messy vegetable to rinse and chop in other dishes.

Otherwise I use other vegetables I have to use before my next trip to Vege Markets every 3 weeks.

Zsa Zsa Gabor's Dracula Goulash Recipe

"Dahlings, this is the dish I use to catch a man. And if I want to get rid of him I stop making it.

It's the best dish (if not the only dish) made with an InstaPot. Done in 30 minutes.

My mom added parsnip . I loved her stew, so maybe that was the secret.

Onions, bay leaves, Worchestershire sauce, thyme or marjoram. If you want to sassy it up toss in some cayenne, red pepper flakes or some hot peppers(limited by how much heat you can tolerate)

Marcia Adams, the author of several cookbooks that highlight Amish cooking, has a great recipe for a baked beef stew. It's easy, you don't even brown the beef. The stew is thickened by using instant tapioca(the kind that can be used in fruit pies) Simply dump all the ingredients in a deep roasting pan, cover with foil and bake. She says 5 hours, you can get by with 3.5 or so. The only additions I make to her list of ingredients are mushrooms and parsnips( a hat tip to r26)

Yes, mushrooms sound very good.

I do all the things r27 said and red wine and carmelized onions. I often do sweet potatoes rather than white potatoes and roast them first.

I wonder whether I should go with lager or red wine? I have both.

If there are chile peppers in your stew (incl. paprika), I’d choose lager over red wine.

Thanks, r31. I think that's what I did wrong last time. I used red wine and paprika and I didn't like the way it tasted.

Cut the chunks in half, add celery, fuck off with adding spices, herbs , you want beef stew simmering away, not some "dish" … use of beer or bouillon or red wine, Nothing else. Mushroom and peas, corn, work well in beef stew. Play with bay leaves, Worchestershire sauce, sage, thyme, rosemary or marjoram if you must. .

Sear the meat first, please. Use bouquet garni. Wine to deglaze. Beef broth is a must for the soup. I recommend Cayenne over Paprika for spice profile.

Ina uses cognac, red wine, onions, fennel, short ribs, pancetta, garlic, tomatoes, potatoes carrots, beef broth, tomato paste frozen peas.,

Ina's a pretentious twat.

These food threads always descend into some kind of self parody of noveau riche cuisine.

It's stew. Beef, potatos, add a carrot or two, with flour and vegetable oil. Voila.

If you're spending a hundred dollars to make stew, you should have your money taken away.

I also sear the meat, I love that extra taste. It doesn't take any extra time if you do it while carmelizing the onions. When I make stew for the freezer I only don't add potatoes at all and when I reheat it add frsh peas and potatoes or barley

For the crock pot, of course carrots and potatoes. I like to add some fresh tomato cut into chunks, mushrooms and a clove or two or garlic, maybe crushed, or small onions or a large onion quartered, or maybe all of that. Salt and pepper to taste. Sometimes a bay leaf or two but it does change the taste. Perhaps a drop or two or ten of Worcestershire. A little beer, or vinegar, or red wine. Whatever I feel like. It's fun to change up the seasonings. But my favorite go to for a winter's day.

[quote]I want to make a sassy beef stew.

I'll take things no straight man, woman or lesbian has ever said for six hundred please Alex

Ok thanks everybody for your advice. It was really helpful! I cut up the chunks and then dredged and seared them. I used beef broth, half a can of crushed tomatoes and half a lager for the base. For vegetables, I'm using what I have on hand-- onions, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms. I threw in a couple of cloves of garlic, a bay leaf and a tiny bit of thyme. For the sassiness, I used cayenne and black pepper. I think I used too much cayenne, but I like it hot. If it's too spicy, I'll dilute it later with broth or something.

I also used a dash of Worcester sauce.

Glad your stew came out good, OP.

Making this tomorrow!!