Sweet Merlot Beef Stew Food

MERLOT BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a large heavy flameproof casserole, over medium heat, melt butter and add oil.
• Add bacon pieces to fat and cook, stirring often, until bacon starts to brown.
• Add onion, garlic, carrots, celery, worcestershire sauce, herbs and spices.
• Cook for 3-4 minutes until just softened, stirring frequently.
• Pat beef cubes dry with paper towel, then dredge them in flour, evenly coated.
• Add beef into the pot, turning them to let it be browned.
• Add wine to pan and cook for 2 minutes.
• Add chicken stock and tomato paste, bring to boil, scraping the base of the pot.
• Reduce heat to low, partially cover pot and let simmer for approximately one hour.
• Add in pearl onions and mushrooms and continue to cook on low heat for another hour, or until the meat is very tender.
• Discard bay leaves and stir in the parsley before serving.

MERLOT BEEF STEW

Steps:

• Pre-heat oven to 300 degrees.
• Prepare vegetables, keeping chopped onions aside.
• In a medium bowl combine flour and pepper, set aside.
• In a measuring cup combine beef base with 1 cup hot water, set aside.
• In a dutch oven heat oil over medium-high heat.
• Chop bacon, set aside.
• Cut beef into 1 1/2 to 2 inch chunks.
• Add beef to seasoned flour, toss to coat.
• Brown seasoned beef in two batches, placing first and second batches in a medium bowl.
• Add bacon to hot dutch oven, stirring until the fat is just turning golden brown.
• Remove and add to beef bowl.
• Add onions to dutch oven, reducing heat to medium.
• Stir often and keep an eye on them so they do not burn.
• When just golden add tomato paste, whisking constantly for 1 minute.
• Add the merlot, whisking constantly for 1 minute.
• Add the beef base with water, worcestershire, beef stock, dry french rub and stir well.
• Add prepared vegetables, stir well to coat.
• Add contents of the beef bowl, stir well to coat.
• Add bay leaves.
• Cover with a lid and place in oven.
• If your oven runs hot reduce heat to 275 degrees.
• Check stew at 3 hours, giving it a good stir.
• Add water if needed.
• Stir again at 4 hours, remove at 5 hours.
• Search out bay leaves and remove.

MERLOT BRAISED BEEF

Steps:

• In large bowl, combine beef, sliced onion, celery, garlic, parsley sprigs, bay leaf, juniper berries, wine, thyme and pepper; cover and marinate in refrigerator doe 12 to 24 hours.
• Remove beef; sprinkle with flour and set aside.
• Strain marinade through sieve into bowl, pressing solids; set marinade aside.
• In skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat; brown beef in batches.
• Transfer to bowl.
• Add 1 tbsp butter to pan.
• Stir in sugar, cook until deep nutty brown.
• Stir in reserved marinade and stock, averting eyes to avoid splatters.
• Add beef, carrots and salt; cover and simmer over low heat, stirring often, until beef is tender, about 1 ½ hours.
• Meanwhile, in skillet, heat remaining butter over medium heat; cook pearl onions until browned, 12 minutes.
• With slotted spoon, transfer to stew.
• Add mushrooms to skillet; simmer for 10 minutes.
• Serve sprinkled with parsley.
• Popovers-----------------.
• In bowl, whisk egg with milk; stir in flour and salt until blended but still lumpy.
• Spoon into well-buttered jumbo muffin cups, filling 3/4 full.
• Place in center of cold oven.
• Heat oven to 450F; bake for 25 minutes.
• With skewer, puncture each popover; bake for 10 minutes or until puffed.
• (Make ahead; Let cool; cover and set aside at room temperature for up to 8 hours. Reheat in 325F oven for 5-10 minutes).

SWEET BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a pressure cooker, brown beef, onions and garlic in oil over medium heat. Stir in salt, ginger, pepper and nutmeg. Combine the apricot nectar, soy sauce, molasses and brown sugar; pour over meat. Close cover securely; place pressure regulator on vent pipe., Bring cooker to full pressure over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 20 minutes. (Pressure regulator should maintain a slow steady rocking motion; adjust heat if needed.) Remove from the heat; allow pressure to drop on it's own., Remove meat with a slotted spoon. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually add to pan drippings. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Stir in meat and serve over rice.

BEEF MERLOT CROCK POT

Steps:

• Heat frying pan on HIGH (hot pan, cold grease= NO STICKING!).
• Add 2 T bacon fat- melt.
• Add chopped onion and garlic.
• Turn down heat to medium low- sauté for 5 minutes.
• Remove and set aside.
• Turn up heat to High- get pan really hot.
• Add more bacon fat or olive oil if pan is dry.
• Quickly brown meat- let each side get browned.
• Place browned meat into crock pot.
• Add 1 cup water to pan to make a beef stock.
• Add 2 bouillon cubes- stir and break up into stock.
• Add 1/4 Merlot (or other red wine) optional.
• Pour over meat in crock pot.
• Spoon onion mixture over meat.
• Cover and cook 10 hours on Low.
• Serve with mashed potatoes (or rice), cooked/buttered broccoli and crusty rolls.

SWEET-AND-SOUR BEEF STEW

Steps:

• In a large skillet, brown beef in oil in batches; drain. Transfer to a 4- or 5-qt. slow cooker. , In a large bowl, combine the tomato sauce, onions, carrots, green pepper, pineapple, vinegar, brown sugar, corn syrup, chili powder, paprika and salt; pour over beef. , Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until beef is tender. Serve with rice if desired. Freeze option: Freeze cooled stew in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add broth or water if necessary.