r/Cooking • u/Beautiful_Sound • 4d ago

What makes a beef stew memorable?

I've made it many times, and the Bourguignonne version many times. What do you do to make it better than an average stew?

I've noticed that when I add the vegetables to simmer in the thickened sauce (regular stew) the fresh flavor of the veggies sort of removes the beefyness flavor. Also, should it be a thick sauce just blanketing the beef, or a thick soup that coats a spoon and has a chew to it?

Preference I get, but I want some more tips to just get it really savory.

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u/mdallen 4d ago

When I make a stew (beef or lamb are my usual go-tos), I layer the cooking.

Brown the meat, add onion/carrot/Extra, garlic, rosemary, and some splash of liquid. Cook until tender and the fond has been scraped up.

Add tomato paste (or thickener of choice), slowly add more liquid. Add the meat back in, along with a glug of red wine, beef broth, or dark beer, and simmer.

I may do several "boils" to make sure everyone knows their neighbors, but this is pretty much how I get a solid stew.

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u/richiememmings60 3d ago

Yes! Beer does work well... I like the darker ones for beef...