For a Crock Pot recipe, this was VERY labor intensive. In addition to chopping two tear-inducing onions, I also chopped celery, carrots and mini Yukon Gold potatoes. However, the hardest part was cutting the meat into bite sized pieces. Instead of buying overpriced pre-cut stew meat, I cut up a four pound chuck roast. This also allowed me to trim the fat.
This smelled amazing as it simmered to savory perfection and it took every ounce of control I had not to dig right in when it finished cooking. However, I was going to a friend's for dinner and I was not going to ruin my appetite, so I placed the stew in the refrigerator to rest overnight. This is a crucial step for roasts and stews. Why? Not only does this step allow the flavors to meld, it also causes the fat to rise to the top and harden, making it very easy to remove.
Tonight, I had the first bowl of my latest Crock Pot recipe with 1/4 cup of brown basmati rice. This bowl of savory perfection might not be the prettiest dish to look at, but it hit the spot on this cold evening. Even better, it made a lot so I have plenty for quick dinners for during the week when I do not have time to cook.
It's coming out of stew season, so I probably won't bring this one out again until the fall.
Slow cooker beef stew with brown basmati rice.
Looks good. Another great reason to let a stew sit is that the meat is often very tough and chewy. After sitting, it's usually tender and perfect! I hope this was true for you. :) Also, I can't handle the onions. I have to buy pre-chopped. I'll pay a premium for those to avoid the hours of stinging (yes, hours!).
ReplyDeleteLauren---I have actually never had an issue with tough, chewy meat, even when I eat it right when it finishes. The key is to cook it over low heat over a long period of time--this always gives me a good result.
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