Beef casserole, when to add potatoes?

ncmc

I want to make a traditional slow cooked casserole for dinner, something like this:

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/1940689/beef-and-vegetable-casserole-

But I prefer my stews with the potatoes cooked in with the rest of the ingredients. Just wondering if that's possible with the slow cooked stews, do the potatoes dissolve into mush if cooked that long? Would I be better adding them in half way through cooking?

Thanks in advance!

vibe666

Could you live with par boiling/streaming them first so you're not putting them cold into the hot slow cooker stew?

If you did that for 15-20 mins first I'd say you'll get away with dropping them in for the last hour or so of slow cooking if they go straight from the steamer/pot to the slow cooker before they cool down?

ncmc

Thanks vibe, the lazy sod in me was hoping to get away with one pot! I wonder if I added less water to allow for the water in the spuds would that help...

vibe666

Don't worry, I'm a HUGE fan of lazy cooking myself. :pac:

I never add any water to my slow cooked food, just plenty of veg and I find that there is enough juices in the veg that I don't need to add anything extra.

Mind you, I usually start it in the morning and leave it on low all day, so it's all nice and soft and all the juices come out properly.

Loire

Any time I make a stew I boil the spuds separately at the end and just throw them into the stew before serving. Actually, I do the same with the carrots.

OldBean

Give them a fry before putting them in. They'll hold their shape.

Cedrus

I add spuds half way through when using the pressure cooker (ie 10 mins with everything except the spuds then 10 minutes with the spuds added.

On the hob, I might go 3 hours + 1 hour with the spuds added.

Imho, adding the spuds ready cooked at the end works, but it's a completely different dish.

CJhaughey

They'll go soft but as the liquid isn't boiling they won't dissolve like when you boil them in water.
Stick them in with the stew and allow them a couple of hours to cook.

ncmc

Thanks guys, I threw them in at the start and it was lovely. They did break up a bit, but they weren't really soggy so it was delicious!