Beef Stew With A Roux Food

BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Cut the beef into 2 inch chunks. Then add olive oil into a Dutch oven pot. Bring the heat to high. Once the oil is smoking, add the beef chunks into the pot. Evenly brown each side of the beef chunks. Then remove from the pot.
• Place the chopped onion and minced garlic into the pot and stir over medium high heat until the onion becomes translucent.
• Add the mushrooms and stir until they become tender.
• Then add 1/2 tsp thyme, 1/2 tsp oregano, 2 tsp paprika, 2 tsp salt , and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes.
• Place the celery, baby carrots, and baby red potatoes into the pot, then place the browned beef chunks on top. Give them a quick stir.
• Pour in the red wine and chicken stock.
• Place the lid over the pot and bring it to a boil. Remove from the cook top and place it into a 320 Fahrenheit degree oven for 1 hour
• Meanwhile, with a fork combined 2 tbsp softened butter with 2 tbsp flour.
• After the beef has cooked for 1 hour place the butter and flour mixture into the pot and cook for an additional hour with the lid back on.

OLD-FASHIONED BEEF STEW WITH MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef with 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add to the pot in batches and cook, turning and adding more oil as needed, until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon.
• Add 2 more tablespoons oil to the pot and reduce the heat to medium. Add the roughly chopped carrot, celery and onion and cook, occasionally stirring with a wooden spoon and scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot, until the vegetables soften, about 5 minutes. Move the vegetables to one side and add the tomato paste to the empty side. Cook until it darkens around the edge, about 2 minutes; stir into the vegetables. Add the wine and bring to a boil.
• Return the beef and any juices to the pot; add the stock. Bring to a boil, skimming any foam off the top. Add the thyme. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the beef is tender, about 2 hours.
• Strain the beef and vegetables in a colander set over a large bowl, reserving the cooking liquid. Tent the beef mixture with foil. Let the cooking liquid stand for 5 minutes and then skim off the fat on the surface. Return the liquid to the pot. Add the remaining carrots and celery and the potatoes and bring to a simmer over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the vegetables are just tender, about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until they release their juices and brown, 10 minutes. (Pour off any extra liquid, if necessary.) Season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and set aside.
• Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk in the flour to make a roux, then let it bubble (do not brown), 2 minutes. Whisk in 2 cups of the reserved cooking liquid. Stir this sauce into the pot with the vegetables; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring often, until thickened, 5 minutes.
• Return the beef to the pot, discarding the roughly chopped carrot, celery, onion and thyme. Add the mushrooms and simmer until heated through, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; sprinkle with parsley.

ULTIMATE BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Add oil to an oven proof casserole or metal stewing pot and heat until it is smoking. If you want to use a slow cooker then just do all the steps in a large pan and transfer to the slow cooker when the strew is simmering. It is good economy to buy a whole role of brisket from your butcher. When you are about to start cooking, rince it under the tap to remove that 'sweat' that it generates in the fridge.
• Preheat the oven to 160C. Sear the beef in batches on all sides to get brown caramalisation of the meet. Remove from the pan and set to one side. Add the onions to the pan and cook down, stirring all the time. When done stir in the flour and mix. Add the water, stock cubes, red wine and tomato purée. Mix and make sure everything is dissolved. Return the beef to the mix and throw in the carrots and mushrooms. To give it some extra flavour richness, add 2 tbs Worcestershire Sauce.
• Transfer the cooking pot with the lid on to the oven for 1 hour 40 minutes with the lid on, or in the slow cooker on high for 1 hour then 5-6 hours on low (or just 6-7 hours on auto).
• crank the oven up to 200C. Throw the bread into a food processor and blitz! Throw in the baking powder, salt and herbs. Throw in the butter and blitz again until the butter disappears. Add the eggs and blitz again until a wet sticky dough is formed. You can of course do this by hand using a grater for the bread and mixing with a spoon. Open the stew pot and take small pieces of dough and form into dumplings (around the size of a small orange). Add to the stew and close the lid. Put the stew in the pre-heated oven for 20 minutes. If using a slow cooker, add when the cooker goes down to the 'low' setting.
• Serve ladled into a bowl with some fresh chopped parselly spinkled on top. Goes great with a glass of robust red wine or English Pale Ale.