I'm Just Here for the Food_ Version 2.0 - Alton Brown [78]
Ovenproof sauté pan with lid
Wooden spoon
Stewing
Classically, a braise involves a big hunk of meat, a very small amount of liquid, low heat, and a covered vessel. A stew involves lots of pieces of meat that are completely submerged in liquid, cooked over low heat in a covered vessel. The cooking goal is identical as far as the meat is concerned: slow, moist heat that will dissolve collagen.
However, the liquid part of a stew is as important as the meat and whatever other chunks of vegetable may be present. In other words, a stew is half a soup, so seasoning isn’t just about the meat.
Also, just about every stew recipe out there is thickened by starch somewhere along the line. Either the meat is dredged before searing, or flour is sprinkled over the assembled ingredients before it heads off to the oven. There’s a chili recipe coming up in a few pages that gets its starch from dissolved corn chips.
And just so we’re clear, I don’t consider dairy-thickened soups (bisques and chowders) to be true stews . . . but that’s just me.
WHY STARCH THICKENS
When starch granules get hot and become saturated with liquid, they explode like popcorn. Then they get in the way of the liquid molecules, preventing them from pooling together. Voilà: thickness! Different starches explode, or gelatinize, at different rates and different temperatures, but it happens just the same.
Beef Stroganoff
The components of this stew aren’t that different from those of a pan braise, but the size of the pieces, the starch, and the extra liquid necessitates a new step here: stirring. That’s why I reach for my electric skillet. It gives me heat control and quick access.
Application: Stewing
One hour before cooking, place the roast in the freezer. It will firm it up and make it easier to slice. Cut the meat into ½-inch strips. Season the meat and the flour liberally with the salt and pepper. Allow the meat to rest a few minutes so that the salt can pull a little moisture to the surface, then dredge in seasoned flour (see Note).
Heat the electric skillet to its hottest temperature. When the thermostat light goes out add 1 tablespoon each of the butter and the oil. When the butter begins to foam, add just enough of the meat to barely cover the bottom of the skillet. Do not crowd the pan. Turn the strips until they’re brown on all sides, then remove to a rack resting over a pan. Continue browning the meat in batches, adding more butter and oil as needed.
When all of the meat has been browned, pour off any grease from the pan, add the remaining butter, then add the shallot, garlic, and mushrooms to the skillet and sauté until brown. Using a shaker or sifter, sprinkle a couple of teaspoons of the seasoned flour over the top of the vegetables and toss to coat. Deglaze the skillet with the wine, using a spatula to scrape up any stubborn bits. Stir in the mustard and return the meat and any drippings to the skillet. Add enough beef stock to barely cover the meat. Drop the temperature to a simmer (between 180° and 200° F), and cover. Cook for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in sour cream and serve over wide egg noodles or rice.
Yield: 4 servings
Note: Seasoned flour is typically a simple mixture of flour, salt, and pepper, but depending on the recipe, it may involve any number of different seasonings. What you’re looking for when you taste—and you should get into the habit of tasting everything—is a subtle background of both salt and pepper.
Software:
2 pounds inexpensive beef roast,
such as eye of round
Flour for dredging (see Note)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons canola oil
4 tablespoons minced shallot
1½ tablespoons minced garlic
½ pound brown mushrooms,
thickly sliced (an egg slicer
works well)
¾ cup red wine
½ tablespoon Dijon mustard,
blended into 2 tablespoons
beef stock (so it will incorporate
easier)
2 beef bouillon cubes dissolved in
2 to 2½ cups beef stock
4 tablespoons sour cream
Hardware:
Container for dredging
Electric skillet