Portion sizes (beef) for beef stew

JohnCleary

Folks,
Wondering what would be a fair average portion of beef content in a beef stew? Would 200g of beef per head be adequate? Keeping it simple as usual (just carrots, onion and potato after that) - just not certain about beef quantities

rubadub

Sounds about right, it is 7.1oz if you know steak sizes better. Or almost a half pound. A typical chicken fillet is 130-140g.

Another trick to visualize & compare is to check supermarket stuff online. e.g. tesco have an "irish beef stew" ready meal, portion is 500g, ingredients show 25% beef, so only 125g in theirs. Thats just a little over a 1/4lber burger size.

TBoneMan

6oz or 170g per person is more than enough for a single serving, especially with all the veg and potato

Queen-Mise

I asked a butcher this a week or so ago about roast beef. And he suggested 1/4lb per person.

It sounded about right to me. So I doubled it and had enough for two dinners and some sandwiches also (kids so ate slightly less).

Seaneh

JohnCleary wrote: »

Folks,
Wondering what would be a fair average portion of beef content in a beef stew? Would 200g of beef per head be adequate? Keeping it simple as usual (just carrots, onion and potato after that) - just not certain about beef quantities

in a stew, 100g of beef per head is more than enough to be honest. 200g is a massive portion of meat, especially for a stew.

fred funk }{

Queen-Mise wrote: »

I asked a butcher this a week or so ago about roast beef. And he suggested 1/4lb per person.

It sounded about right to me. So I doubled it and had enough for two dinners and some sandwiches also (kids so ate slightly less).

Personally, I would like a lot more beef than that but I'm a bit if a carnivore!

Queen-Mise

fred funk }{ wrote: »

Personally, I would like a lot more beef than that but I'm a bit if a carnivore!

I'm not so it balances out :D But then its rare that I would eat a lot of meat.

I am also conscious that we eat too much meat. And sometimes dinner isn't the only time we might have meat in a day.

Queen-Mise

Queen-Mise wrote: »

I'm not so it balances out :D But then its rare that I would eat a lot of meat.

Usually with two cuts of meat, one is always larger and the OH always took it.

Except when I was pregnant, then I would demolish the large cut and be dribbling across the table on what meat was left on his plate. This was much to my husband's bemusement.

Mellor

Queen-Mise wrote: »

I am also conscious that we eat too much meat. And sometimes dinner isn't the only time we might have meat in a day.

What's wrong with having meat more than once a day?
I aim to get protein at every meal. Which is some sort of meat most of the time, and eggs the rest.

JohnCleary

I used 3kg of beef, sliced about 400g of fat off. It served 15 people fine

nozzferrahhtoo

Just had a beef stew Sunday and Monday actually. 500g of what the Germans call "Rinder Gulasch" was enough for 2 people on two days. This was with carrots, celery, potatoes and onion added.

rubadub

Seaneh wrote: »

in a stew, 100g of beef per head is more than enough to be honest. 200g is a massive portion of meat, especially for a stew.

100g is certainly not more than enough for myself, thats less than a 1/4lber burger.

The other trick is to just look for recipes online.
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/jools-s-favourite-beef-stew
That one calls for 800 g quality stewing steak or beef skirt, cut into 5cm pieces and serves 4.

Though this one is calling for 1lb and is said to do 6.

http://www.loveirishfood.ie/recipes/beef-stew/

Seaneh

It is more than enough if you have other things in the stew to bulk it out.

We in northern europe eat massive portions of meat. It's total over kill.

If you weren't having any other protein source for the day then 130g of would be a good sized portion but the reality is most Irish people have eggs with breakfast or meat in a sandwich or soup at lunch or even a larger 150g+ serving at lunch and then another large 150g+ serving at dinner.
A 1/4lb of meat is 113g, not that long ago a 1/4lb burger would have been considered huge.


I'm partail to a nice piece of rump or ribeye steak now and then, and I know that at 10 oz (280g), although it's a ncie treat now and then, it's mental amount of protein to consume in one sitting.

rubadub

Seaneh wrote: »

We in northern europe eat massive portions of meat.

If you accept this is the case then 200g should not sound overboard, its what many are probably used to getting.

It is sort of like somebody saying "I am planning a 21st party for my son, I am going to have 6 cans per person" and coming on saying 3 cans is binge drinking, 2 each is more than enough.

Seaneh wrote: »

I'm partail to a nice piece of rump or ribeye steak now and then, and I know that at 10 oz (280g), although it's a ncie treat now and then, it's mental amount of protein to consume in one sitting.

Heres a BBC rachel allen stew recipe for 6. Has beef & bacon, 280g of meat per person.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/irishbeefstew_73826

Would depend on how much other stuff is there as you mention.

Faith

I generally use 500-700g for a stew. 500g does 4 medium portions, 700g does 4 really big portions (or 5 if we have space in the freezer).

Queen-Mise

Mellor wrote: »

What's wrong with having meat more than once a day?
I aim to get protein at every meal. Which is some sort of meat most of the time, and eggs the rest.

I'm talking about meat, not protein. And what Seaneh is talking about is what I am referring to.

In very broad terms, seemingly in Western Europe, we eat far too much meat.

Seaneh wrote: »

We in northern europe eat massive portions of meat. It's total over kill.

If you weren't having any other protein source for the day then 130g of would be a good sized portion but the reality is most Irish people have eggs with breakfast or meat in a sandwich or soup at lunch or even a larger 150g+ serving at lunch and then another large 150g+ serving at dinner.
A 1/4lb of meat is 113g, not that long ago a 1/4lb burger would have been considered huge.

Dizzyblonde

I use 400-500g by the time it's trimmed, we have one dinner each and I freeze a third portion.