Beef stew with red wine or Guinness?

ApeXaviour

the beer revolu wrote: »

Any of the English ales available in Tesco would be good - London Pride, Hobgoblin, Old Speckled Hen, Theakson Old Peculier etc.

Those are good drinking beers, but considering their price I wouldn't waste them in stew, boiling such a beer for hours amongst meat and vegetables will blunt any flavour subtlety. Better IMO to settle for a nice cheap can of Bass Smithwicks or Kilkenny, all quality ales without the fancy bottle or price-tag.

Although personally I'm quite a fan of the toasted flavour of stout in stew.

the beer revolu wrote: »

Belgian dark ales like Leffe Bruin or Chimay Blue make fantastic stews and one of the best stews I've made, I did recently with Leifman's Goudenband and Schneiderweiss Aventinus was fantastic too.

The likelihood for the difference in flavour here is because these beers have significantly more sugar in them than others mentioned. Pretty much all of the 6-9% alcohol of these more expensive beers will be boiled off though.

the beer revolu

ApeXaviour wrote: »

Those are good drinking beers, but considering their price I wouldn't waste them in stew, boiling such a beer for hours amongst meat and vegetables will blunt any flavour subtlety. Better IMO to settle for a nice cheap can of Bass Smithwicks or Kilkenny, all quality ales without the fancy bottle or price-tag.

Well if you consider spending around €2 rather than around €1 on a beer for a stew then off you go. It's not subtlety of flavour I'm after, it's depth and complexity of flavour. I believe it's money well spent.

The likelihood for the difference in flavour here is because these beers have significantly more sugar in them than others mentioned. Pretty much all of the 6-9% alcohol of these more expensive beers will be boiled off though.

It's not the alcohol I'm looking for.
Yes, going down this road is a little more expensive but well worth it in my opinion if you want a very rich tasting stew.

-K2-

JimsAlterEgo wrote: »

anyone have any issues gettign it to thicken? Hate a watery stew

Coat the meat in flour before browning.

Seaneh

xoxyx wrote: »

Also, I believe Jamie has discounted this as a myth, but I always sear the meat first before putting it in to stew.

He disproved that it "seals" the juices in, but everyone in the catering trade has always known that was nonsense.
What searing does do though is caramalise the outside of the meat and this adds a lot of flavour to any dish.

Seaneh

-K2- wrote: »

Coat the meat in flour before browning.

Don't do this.

Brown the meat by itself at a high heat, otherwise the meat won't caramalise you will just be browning the flour.
After the meat is browned, removed it and bring the heat down to medium then throw in some diced onion, carrot and celery and a knob of butter and sweat them a bit, when they are a little soft sprinkle over a desert spoor of flour and give it a good stir for about a minute to cook our the flour a bit. Then add your beef back to the pan, stir and throw in your beer/stock/wine/whatever and stick a lid on it, let it cook gently for a few hours.

Remember, stew boiled is stew spoiled!

xoxyx

Seaneh wrote: »

He disproved that it "seals" the juices in, but everyone in the catering trade has always known that was nonsense.
What searing does do though is caramalise the outside of the meat and this adds a lot of flavour to any dish.

I did wonder. Thanks Seaneh!!

the beer revolu

Seaneh wrote: »

He disproved that it "seals" the juices in, but everyone in the catering trade has always known that was nonsense.
What searing does do though is caramalise the outside of the meat and this adds a lot of flavour to any dish.

+1

Seaneh wrote: »

Don't do this.

Brown the meat by itself at a high heat, otherwise the meat won't caramalise you will just be browning the flour.
After the meat is browned, removed it and bring the heat down to medium then throw in some diced onion, carrot and celery and a knob of butter and sweat them a bit, when they are a little soft sprinkle over a desert spoor of flour and give it a good stir for about a minute to cook our the flour a bit. Then add your beef back to the pan, stir and throw in your beer/stock/wine/whatever and stick a lid on it, let it cook gently for a few hours.

Remember, stew boiled is stew spoiled!

+1


I forgot to add that if using beer, a good desertspoonfull of Dijon mustard goes great in it.

The Black Oil

Got some London Pride, Old Speckled Hen, and O' Hara's in Tesco.

the beer revolu

Black Oil wrote: »

Got some London Pride, Old Speckled Hen, and O' Hara's in Tesco.

It's going to have to be three stews, so!

The Black Oil

Aye.
Tried Beamish the other week and was happy with how it turned out.

Marcusm

leahyl wrote: »

Thanks a mil - think I'll go with the red wine bit I'm no expert on wines but I read something about a burgundy wine being nice??!!

That would be a boeuf bourguignon then!

vicwatson

Care to put Jamie's recipe up here so we can all give it a try and give you feedback?