How can i cook a beef stew on the hob?!
Answers: i have the beef (chunks), veg, gravy, suet and flour (for dumplings)
Bring to boil. Then a very low heat for a minimum of 2-3 hours.
Enjoy..................x
On a very very low heat - preferably all day!
Cut up 2 onions and carrots into chunks, add to the beef, season cover with water and stew slowly for about 2 hours,add your dumpling half and hour before it is finished cooking
very very very slowly, the slower you cook it the more tender the meat will be, also the contents wont stick to the bottom of the pan, and the more times you reheat it the thicker the stew becomes.
start it off in the morning, let it simmer all day, add the dumplings about an hour before required and give me a call when its time for me to come round and help you eat it.
brown the beef chunks in a little oil first
make up the gravy in advance so that it's cool when you add it to the meat (it will make it more tender)
put it all together (not sure about the suet i never use it sorry)
and cook it slowly for a good few hours.
The preparation is the same as if you were going to do it in the oven, just simmer it on the hob, with a lid on, on a low setting and add the dumplings about 20 minutes before the end.
Simmer for about 6 hours, stir occasionally...
It seems you've had a lot of conflicting advice on this, so here's my two penn'orth! I learned this from my mum, who has been cooking beef stew for about 60 years, and I've been cooking it for at least 40! Heat a tablespoon of cooking oil or half an ounce of white Flora in a sturdy saucepan ( Mum used to use beef dripping of course!), then cook sliced onion over medium heat until just soft. Add the chunks of beef and cook stirring until browned all over. Then add about half a pint of hot stock (oxo cube dissolved in water - enough to cover meat and veg) and a sliced carrot; bring to the boil and then simmer on a low heat with the lid on the pan (just bubbling a little) for an hour and a half. Stir occasionally and add more water if needed. Put dumpling mixture in to float on top about 20 minutes before end of cooking time. You can add other things to the stew if you wish - I like to add some or all of these: a bay leaf, some sliced leeks, crushed garlic, chopped swede, chopped celery, peas ( near end of cooking time) - you can experiment! Serve with other veg if desired and mashed potato. Good luck with your stew.
Same as in the oven. Peel, chop veg and meat. Add to big pan half full with water, add gravy, then cook on a seriously low light. The longer you cook it the better it tastes.
Put the meat, veg, and gravy in the saucepan.Bring it to the boil, then turn it down and simmer for about 2 hours. the longer you cook it for, the better the flavours merge. Make the dumplings, and add them about 10 mins before dishing up
Vietnamese Beef Stew Recipe
(Bo Kho)
As with all stews, this one tastes best if you have time to cook it on one day, allow it to cool and refrigerate it overnight, then reheat it the next day.
Ingredients : Serves 4
1 kg Chuck steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/4 tsp Five spice powder
1 tsp Pepper
2 stalks Lemon grass, finely chopped
5 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp Salt
1 ablespoon Dark soy sauce
2 tsp Palm or golden granulated sugar
2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
1 Shallot, chopped
2 Tomatoes, chopped
2 Carrots, halved lengthways and cut into chunks
2 Star anise
1 Cinnamon stick
3 Small green chilies, thinly sliced
600ml Water
2 Basil leaves, for garnishing
Method :
In a bowl, combine the beef with the five spice powder, pepper, half the lemon grass, 2 of the garlic cloves, salt, soy sauce and sugar.
Mix well, cover and leave to marinate for at least 1 hour.
Heat the oil in a casserole or heavy-based saucepan. When it is hot, brown the beef cubes.
Add the shallot, the remaining garlic and the lemon grass.
Stir fry for about 1 minute, then add the tomatoes.
Finally, add the carrots, star anise, cinnamon stick, chilies and water.
Bring slowly to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for about 2 hours or until the beef is very tender.
This can be done either in a preheated oven, 180-190oC (350-375oF), Gas Mark 4-5, on the hob.
Garnish with basil leaves and serve with French bread.