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BS: Things to put in a stew
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Mrrzy Date: 28 Oct 25 - 05:33 PM Big into the ground goat my grocery store has taken to carrying. Tonight's stew is goat with onion and cabbage, with a little tomato paste. Spices/herbs are marjoram, oregano, hot paprika, and a Berber spice mix. Chicken broth. Olive oil. Mmmm. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 26 Oct 25 - 07:07 PM Typo: slo- cooking. I wasn't trying to be funny. LOL I did live in a rental place once with an electric cooktop with coils. I was used to gas stoves so it was very annoying. The house before this one had gas but I bought an induction cooktop for this house and never looked back. There are also small portable induction cooktops available. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Oct 25 - 06:53 PM Helen, good to know! My regular electric stove has the coils and I'm not fond of it, but it works for now. I have a butane two-burner stove for camping (in the garage I have an ancient Coleman stove that burns white gas). The butane stove was bought in 2021 after the long freeze and power outage; since then the neighbors (who always buy excellent products) realized there was a bank on the back of their powerful generator that wasn't being used, so since then we run a line between our houses, and I got a 100' 12 gauge cord to use (my last cord was 16 gauge and not as robust for the job). If they aren't home, I'm on my own, but if they are, I can use an electric burner to cook. I think if I get a portable one to work with it won't be long before I convince myself to swap out the stove for something like this. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 26 Oct 25 - 06:04 PM We have an induction cooktop and it works really well. I used to have a gas cooktop and it worked well but I wouldn't go back to it now that I have the induction. One of its features is a timer on one of the cooking plates. That's great for slo- cooking stews etc. Hubby has a portable stove which connects to a gas bottle. That worked well but we haven't been camping for decades so it has been stored in the garage ever since. It looks like this one: Primus Profile 2-Burner Stove |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Stilly River Sage Date: 26 Oct 25 - 05:47 PM How about what you put under your stew? I'm looking into buying a portable hotplate to use during power outages when I have access to a powerline run from the next door neighbor's generator behind their home. It seems the higher-priced induction burners are less likely to overheat the base of the unit, and appear to be stable. Duxtop is a brand I'm seeing. Least expensive are the coil burners with a knob, Black and Decker, etc. There are plenty of other appliances in the kitchen to plug into the power strip such as the electric kettle or the microwave. But to actually cook something when I can't use the regular electric stovetop, that's what I'm investigating. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Big Al Whittle Date: 21 Oct 25 - 06:57 AM Thank you Helen and SRS. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Stilly River Sage Date: 20 Oct 25 - 11:52 PM I have made a fish stew that came out very well. Many years ago a friend gave me a cookbook of soups and stews, and I made the Whiting Stew that was simple but very good, just fish and broth with vegetables. I'll pull out the book and post the recipe tomorrow. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 20 Oct 25 - 06:04 PM Big Al, in the light of my previous comments about eating "smelly things" I think it is safe to assume you won't take my advice about making stews with fish. The only one I know about - but haven't eaten, thankfully LOL - is Bouillabaisse. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Big Al Whittle Date: 19 Oct 25 - 12:36 PM does anyone do fish stews? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 18 Oct 25 - 01:08 PM I made Chicken Cacciatore last night. I didn't realise we had run out of tomato paste and I forgot to put olives in it at the end, but it tasted good and there is enough left for tonight. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Penny S. Date: 17 Oct 25 - 03:02 PM Tha best Irish stew I made was when Sainsburys had mutton and goat on offer. I didn't try the goat, and the two then vanished and have not been seen again. But the mutton gave a real depth to the flavour compared with lamb. I made the simple version, onion, potato, meat and seasoning, not the extended can't tell it from any other stew that lurks in ready meals and umpteen recipes online. I wanted to try mutton in Lancashire hotpot too, but no more mutton on sale. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: The Sandman Date: 17 Oct 25 - 01:17 AM I only eat free range chicken |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Oct 25 - 08:20 PM In ~ 15 months since I shifted to gluten free I've explored a number of the non-wheat flours, but I haven't tried to make pie crust with any of them. When I make this meal these days I don't bother to try for a crust topping, I just eat the stew itself. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 16 Oct 25 - 08:04 PM The chicken stew sounds good. The paprika chicken recipe I use would probably be good in a pie but there are rarely any leftover. I added a link on 05 Sep 25 - 03:04 PM to a recipe which is almost the same as the one I make. I cheat with the pie pastry. I buy frozen puff pastry, but I don't know if there are gluten free varieties available. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Oct 25 - 06:50 PM In cooler months I make a chicken stew that is basically the filling for chicken pot pies. Chicken diced in big pieces, onion, celery, carrots, potatoes, oregano, ground black pepper, and then add homemade chicken stock. Once it is near finished add frozen green peas, and thicken it with water and flour (I am able to accomplish the same thing now with a King Arthur brand Measure for Measure gluten free flour). It's a lot of work to make a crust and bake the chicken filling in it to make pot pies, so I used a shortcut (back when the kids were little and thought the plain stew wasn't interesting) of making pie crust and cutting out shapes with cookie cutters, holiday shapes and others. Bake those and serve them on a plate next to a large bowl of the stew. The first time I did this, they wanted to just eat the crust, but I pointed out they had to crumble them on bowls of the stew, and they were ok with that. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 16 Oct 25 - 04:53 PM BTW, I use a large, heavy enamelled cast iron pot with a lid to make my stews on the stove top. I can fry each ingredient as I need to, and then put it all back in the same pot to slow cook the stew. Handy. Less washing up, too. Also, for beef stews, depending on the flavours, I sometimes splash a tablespoon or two of yummy pomegranate molasses over it - not too sweet, not too tangy, but a lovely addition to some stews. I also splash a bit inside the pies I make with leftover beef stew. It tastes a bit similar to balsamic vinegar. Worcestershire sauce is a good addition to some stews. Have we mentioned Spaghetti Bolognese, i.e. beef with tomatoes, tomato paste and served with pasta? Note: I usually add some veges as well. Which reminds me that the leftovers of some of the stews can be made into lasagne, or pastitsio with béchamel sauce on top. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: The Sandman Date: 16 Oct 25 - 02:51 AM fry the meat after covering in flour then put in slow cooker |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: The Sandman Date: 15 Oct 25 - 03:45 PM Haricot beans take a very long time in a slow cooker,best to boil first then put in slow cooker Boil for 10-15 minutes then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until tender, which may take 45 minutes to 3 hours, |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: The Sandman Date: 15 Oct 25 - 01:51 AM All a matter of taste. Corn flour is another alternative |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 15 Oct 25 - 12:27 AM Personally, I don't like either the consistency or the flavour when using finely chopped potato to soak up the stew juices. It seems to steal the other flavours out of the stew, IMHO. I prefer to make mashed potato with butter and place the serving of stew on that. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: The Sandman Date: 14 Oct 25 - 03:48 PM another way to thicken a stew is to grate potato. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 14 Oct 25 - 12:25 PM A couple more thoughts: I think the cooking instructions which come with the slow cookers are a bit deceptive. Chop everything up, throw it all in and turn it on. It doesn't usually give the same result as the pre-frying of different ingredients in order depending on their type. My usual frying order is sear the meat, remove from pan, fry onions on medium heat for about 10 minutes, add chopped garlic for a couple of minutes then remove from the pan, throw in chunks of other firm veg e.g. carrot, sweet potato, etc and fry that for about 10 minutes. Cook in slow cooker and add softer ingredients within the last half hour to an hour, e.g. spuds and anything really soft like green beans, broccoli or frozen peas for the last 10 minutes or so. Throw in chopped fresh herbs in the last couple of minutes. We have an induction stove top with a timer on one section so I can set the timer for individual frying processes, then set the timer for the slow cooking part. My other main thought is that stews seem to need a keynote flavour e.g. red wine, or stout, or an Italian herb mix with maybe a bit of paprika, or my fave flavour mix ras el hanout, or whatever takes your fancy but stick to one flavour theme. And, I'm not sure if I said this before but about 15 or 20 minutes before the end of cooking beef or lamb stew in a pot - timing might be different in a slow cooker - I throw in about 3/4 cup of red lentils. They are fairly small with a neutral flavour, and break down and thicken the stew juices without detracting from the main flavour, and they add some healthy fibre as an added bonus. Easy peasy. No mucking around with a wok on a Highway to Hell setting. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Stilly River Sage Date: 14 Oct 25 - 12:05 PM Package it as pet food perhaps. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 14 Oct 25 - 11:34 AM Well, Big Al, maybe it was not delicious but definitely nutritious so I am sure someone would have appreciated it if you gave it to them. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: The Sandman Date: 14 Oct 25 - 09:15 AM haricot beans, but a tin of baked beans wash the tomato off, very cheap protein |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Big Al Whittle Date: 14 Oct 25 - 07:40 AM I still think my crime prevention scheme has the edge - although perhaps it a bit cruel and unusual. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 13 Oct 25 - 02:03 PM Thanks for the update, Big Al. I was worried that it might have been one of my suggested stews which didn't work out well. You could put the spuds in later next time - e.g. an hour before the end - so that they don't fall apart. The onions are ok for the whole cooking time because they fall apart anyway. After the disaster struck, I would have probably added some extra liquid and turned it into a soup. You already had beef stock and some oxo veg cubes, so just some hot water would do it and let it simmer for a while. Also, even with slow cookers I prefer to get out the fry pan and fry the beef and remove it from the pan, then the onions for a few minutes, then add the carrots and fry them for about 10 minutes. It gives them all a better flavour and texture. Then I would put them in the slow cooker with the stock and oxo cube, put a bit of boiling water in the frypan and stir it around to get all the flavours and add that to the rest, and add the potatoes about an hour before the end of the cooking time. Yes, it takes a bit more time but I think it makes it all taste better. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: MaJoC the Filk Date: 13 Oct 25 - 10:00 AM .... you could even call it One Of These Days. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: MaJoC the Filk Date: 13 Oct 25 - 09:54 AM Don't be so modest, Big Al. Bake it hard and shove it inna bun, and |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Big Al Whittle Date: 13 Oct 25 - 06:30 AM well to be honest -its not what i put in - its what I did. I've got one of those things where you pull a string and it slices up your onions. Then I cut the potatoes up too small added meat. beefstock.oxo veg cubes. gravy granules. then I cut the carrots up too small. into a slow cooker too long. the spuds, onions, carrots disappeared, and was liquiddy. so i dumped the lot into a wok and set the controls for the heart of the sun. Tasted vile. You could cure the crime problem tomorrow with that stuff. Sentenced to eat Al's stew, til they beg for mercy. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 09 Oct 25 - 03:52 PM So, Big Al Whittle, I'm still wondering about the ingredients of your expensive "rubbish stew". If I had made a rubbish stew it would include seafood - or what I call smelly things. ;-( Not my favourite food group. So, for example, even though I thankfully have never tried either eating or making bouillabaisse, I know that it is important to put the types of smelly ingredients in at the appropriate times so that each type cooks to the right consistency and flavour. So, in my rubbish stew detective evaluation of likely ingredients, this could be high on the list because smelly foods are expensive. (Apologies to lovers of those things. LOL) Another possibility could be a spicy dish e.g. Indian, Thai, Chinese, Malaysian etc where the spice mix was not quite right. If there was too much chilli for example it could ruin the dish for some people. For me if there is too much star anise it ruins it for me. I actually hid the jar of star anise from my Hubby after he started putting too much in some of the dishes he made. He never knew that. :-D To solve the problem of spice and flavour balance in Asian dishes I tend to use a jar of paste from a reliable brand as the base and then enhance some of the flavours. For example, I love Thai green curry so the paste I use after trying a few alternatives is Mae Ploy Thai green curry paste. We have lemongrass and a kaffir lime tree growing in our garden so I add some of those fresh ingredients as well. So, what was actually in your rubbish stew, Big Al? This inquiring mind wants to know and was it the actual ingredients or the balance of flavours, or the cooking method, over-cooked, under-cooked, or something else e.g. it didn't suit your taste preferences? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: The Sandman Date: 07 Oct 25 - 01:02 AM try a bit of skirt |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 06 Oct 25 - 09:31 PM So Big Al Whittle, I'm intrigued. What was in the stew? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Big Al Whittle Date: 06 Oct 25 - 06:54 PM I made a rubbish stew last week. I ended up throwing some it away. I used expensive ingredients - but it really tasted awful. no guaranteesa are there? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: MaJoC the Filk Date: 06 Oct 25 - 12:36 PM > chicken stew with boiled egg .... while singing "Mother and Child Reunion" .... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: mayomick Date: 06 Oct 25 - 09:05 AM chicken stew with boiled egg reciope https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUc8HjGRbQk |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Fred Date: 06 Oct 25 - 04:59 AM May I enter this here? It's the perfect boiled egg. 1. Bring a pan of water to the boil. 2. Take an egg FROM THE FRIDGE and carefully place in the water for 6 minutes. 3. Immediately remove and placed under a running cold tap to prevent further cooking. Your egg is now ready. Enjoy! :) -F |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Rapparee Date: 04 Oct 25 - 01:11 PM I've been in a stew about a bunch of things for some time now. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: The Sandman Date: 03 Oct 25 - 04:31 PM A cut that is very good for beef stew is spider, the inside of the hip bone.I went in to a butchers today and the young whipper snapper did not know what i was talkin about, still its not as much fun as going in and asking for a bit of skirt[ another cut], my dad was a butcher |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: mayomick Date: 03 Oct 25 - 08:33 AM I agree with Sandman’s recommendation re rosemary, thyme, sage, and parsley - the order is unimportant . I do recommend adding a sprinkle of Martin Carthy to that one but be careful not to overdo it or you could end up with a complete and utter canticle |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Mrrzy Date: 28 Sep 25 - 11:41 AM Ooh good one! I was talking how to nuke, which I do to avoid dishes sometimes... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Mr Red Date: 28 Sep 25 - 06:52 AM Tomatoes: Toss lightly: over the shoulder. of lamb |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 24 Sep 25 - 07:44 PM Mrrzy, I cook asparagus the same way I said for broccoli & green beans in the frypan: fry on medium heat in olive oil for a couple of minutes then toss in about half a cup of boiling water and cover immediately with a lid. I usually do the asparagus separately from other greens so that I can make sure it is just right. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Mrrzy Date: 24 Sep 25 - 07:40 PM Stilly, add no water to steam in microwave. The texture is perfect for me that way. The water in the veg are always enough, but do asparagus in a vertical container like a vase. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Stilly River Sage Date: 23 Sep 25 - 11:29 AM Helen, I steam broccoli and cauliflower in the microwave when I'm in a hurry (the dogs get vegetables in with their dry food, and they love the cruciferous veggies). But for myself I prefer them in a basket steamer in a pot over water. There is a consistency difference (though either way will turn them to mush if you leave it cooking too long.) I make a distinction between what I put in with a beef pot roast and what I put into beef stew, with the basics in both (beef, onions, carrots, potatoes). The stew can have other things like parsnip, and for a green accent, broccoli (added very near the end). |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: The Sandman Date: 23 Sep 25 - 02:49 AM Baked beans ,a cheap way of buying haricot beans, wash thetomatooff if necessary |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 22 Sep 25 - 05:38 PM And, regarding microwave ovens, it's one of the best ways to steam broccoli and green beans IMHO. Place about half a cup of water in the lower part of the microwave-safe steamer, place broccoli florets and/or green bean pieces in the steamer basket. Cook on high for *one minute*, check then cook again on high for *up to one minute more* until the veges are still bright green and just the right level of chewiness i.e. not too hard and not too soft. Or my other two preferred methods are: fry on medium heat in olive oil for a couple of minutes - we use cast iron frypans because they work a treat for stir fries etc - then toss in about half a cup of boiling water and cover immediately with a lid. Done! Or if I am making pasta: when the pasta is almost cooked, throw the broccoli florets or bean pieces into the boiling water and cook for the last couple of minutes. The Sandman, I haven't used haricot beans but I used to buy canned flageolet beans and they had a very nice flavour. I haven't seen the canned ones for a couple of decades or so. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: Helen Date: 22 Sep 25 - 12:45 PM OMG! You're living in the dark ages MaJoC! Microwaves are great for quick and easy defrosting, re-heating, delicately finishing off the last setting stage of quiches on medium low heat before browning the cheese topping under the grill, heating my pre-made percolated coffee. My trusty m/wave is nearly 45 years old. (Now that I have said that it will probably drop off the twig.) I resisted buying one until my Mum and my sister both extolled the virtues and now it is a kitchen essential. Sine qua non. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: The Sandman Date: 22 Sep 25 - 12:02 PM Haricot Beans |
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Subject: RE: BS: Things to put in a stew From: MaJoC the Filk Date: 22 Sep 25 - 11:50 AM For completeness, Helen: I've found the book Herself got that recipe from. It's The Food Aid Cookery Book, edited by Delia Smith, foreword by Terry Wogan, proceeds to Band Aid, BBC Publications 1986. Small photos of both persons on the cover. .... We wouldn't save any time freezing premade ingredients* for cooking, either. We don't have a microwave, By Order. * My mind keeps saying "components", even when I know a stew is not soldered together. |
