As long as there has been a winter-time people have looked to beef up their meals with hearty ingredients and steaming pots of comfort food. And Chef Jerry Pellegrino, nothing fits that bill better than a good old fashioned beef stew. Fortunately, there is more than one way to whip this up.
As Jerry would say, “ beef stew is about as good as it gets for helping you through the winter months. However, we can go a lot further than beef, carrots and onions.”
First of all, since it is a beef stew, which cuts are best? There are three classics: a chuck roast, the brisket or the round steak. All of them are naturally a little on the chewy side, so a long slow cooking process really benefits them.
Let’s focus on chuck roast, which we like because of all the connective tissue in it, which will dissolve into the broth and make it more unctuous and flavorful. First thing would be to cut up your beef into, say, 1 inch chunks and season them. This is where you can get creative. Start with salt and pepper, then consider things like cumin, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, a spicy mix like harissa, or aromatics like powdered thyme or rosemary. You’ll then want to sear the beef in a little oil, making sure to turn the pieces to get all the sides browned. And this is so necessary because it’s the only chance you get to get that good caramelization going. If we put the beef aside a while, we can work with our vegetables.
It’s standard to start with a mirepoix, a mixture of chopped carrots, celery and onions. You’ll sauté that, then add your other choices. If you go with sturdy root vegetables, you can try potatoes, garlic, parsnips, turnips, rutabaga, celeriac, or even sweet potatoes. The advantage here is that they stand up to long cooking times. But I would suggest cutting them into bigger sized chunks so they don’t get too soggy. With less robust veggies like spinach, peas, green beans, even mushrooms all can go in last so they don’t overcook. But they all are welcome in our stew pot. Just sauté them for a while with the mirepoix.
Next comes the broth. And here you have some choices. Standard beef broth is OK. Some people like to blend in some chicken broth for variation. We happen to like using some mushroom broth as well. And of course, you can make it more complex with Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, or the classic, red wine.
As for herbs, you sure can go crazy. The best thing to do is to make a bouquet garni, which is nothing more than all your herbs tied up in a piece of cheese cloth, with a long bit of string left over to pull it out. And I’d say, don’t be shy, make something the size of a lacrosse ball, and let it stay in there the whole time.
Speaking of cooking time, we’re going for low and slow. A slow cooker is great, 4-6 hours there. Or you’ve got the stove top or oven, both at low heat, at least three hours. And of course, everything will be covered.
As it happens, this basic approach carries over into other recipes. If you add a whole bottle of pinot noir and a bunch of pearl onions, you’ve got Boeuf Bourgignon. Go heavy with the mushrooms, add some Dijon mustard and sour cream, serve over noodles and voilà, Beef Stroganoff. And if your taste buds can take it, let’s go Jamaican. This will use the famous brown sugar-based Jamaican browning sauce, but the real kick is using some chopped up Scotch bonnet peppers, or maybe habanero or poblano peppers for a milder approach.
