Stew - Waxy or floury potatoes?

JosephCostello

I'm going to do my first stew in a couple of days, I've eaten plenty but never made it. But I'm not sure on the potatoes.

I'm not big on waxy type potatoes but I'm thinking the floury kind could get to mushy.

Any ideas? :pac:

Dizzyblonde

If you're going to cook the potatoes in the stew you'd need to use waxy ones so they don't go to mush. Floury ones are nicer though so I always cook them separately.
Here's my stew recipe in case you need one :

BEEF STEW

1lb of rib steak, cubed, or steak pieces
2 carrots, sliced or diced
2 medium onions, diced
2 sticks of celery, diced
You can also add turnip if you like
A heaped dessertspoon of flour
2 red Oxo cubes (or any beef stock cubes)
A good pinch of mixed herbs or some fresh parsley and thyme
A tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
Salt and black pepper
A squirt of tomato puree
A handful of barley
Hot Water


Put steak and vegetables into a pot, sprinkle flour on and crumble Oxo cubes in. Stir well. Add enough hot (not boiling) water to cover, and stir. Add all the other ingredients and stir well, then bring to the boil and simmer for 2 hours. If it seems too thick add some boiling water.
You can also do this in a covered casserole dish in the oven at 180C for 2 hours (leave out the barley) and it tastes quite different. Then if you want you can put pastry over it, brush it with beaten egg and bake it for another 30 minutes to make a pie.

all_smilz

waxy ones will hold better if the stew isnt gonna be kept for a few days but i like the ones that sorta melt into the stew!
remember if ur gonna freeze it or keep it more than two days i find that the potatoes can go a bit manky so sometimes i just cook them seperate-
also baby new potatoes with skins on tend to hold their shape well but arent v traditional....

dh0661

I find maris piper potatoes excellent for all occasions, not too waxy/not too floury.
Rooster potatoes are also good, but my OH is not impressed with "yellow spuds".

CJhaughey

dh0661 wrote: »

I find maris piper potatoes excellent for all occasions, not too waxy/not too floury.
Rooster potatoes are also good, but my OH is not impressed with "yellow spuds".

You should give him some purple ones! I had some in Norway, deep purple colour and when boiled they went like faded indigo.#

niamh4626

Definitely waxy potatoes, they don't break up as easily as floury ones......

Seaneh

CJhaughey wrote: »

You should give him some purple ones! I had some in Norway, deep purple colour and when boiled they went like faded indigo.#

They are very bitter, great in certain things but definately not an everyday spud.

CJhaughey

Seaneh wrote: »

They are very bitter, great in certain things but definately not an everyday spud.

Your ones must be a different variety, these weren't bitter at all.
They had a nice taste.

dh0661

CJhaughey wrote: »

You should give him some purple ones! I had some in Norway, deep purple colour and when boiled they went like faded indigo.#

I actually gave him some of these for xmas dinner last year, just to see his reaction, which was not good .
Luckily I had some of his favourite golden wonders in reserve.

TBH I found them edible, but not very appealing to the eye.