Keeping stews and casseroles from solidifying

ifconfig

I've made some nice beef or lamb casserole stews with winter veg and using shop bought powdered stock.
Usually I've served up for myself and it was very nice and I maintained the correct liquidity (usually 450ml is the amount of water added to the stock) and I rarely have to top up.

Anyway - my other half was late coming home on Thursday and she served out for herself when I was off bringing one of kids to an after school event.
The thing is that the stew (made in a Le Creuset pot and finished in the oven for appropriate stewing time) ends up very solidified and gloopy if left without stirring on the hob.
Is there any solution to this or is this just a fact of life with casseroles ?

as an aside - if anyone has better ingredients for beef or lamb casserole stock that don't involve powdered packet stock I am interested.

CJhaughey

Casseroles tend to dry out more in the oven, I find the best way to keep them moist is to use a slow cooker, they don't lose very much moisture at all compared to the hob or oven.

ifconfig

CJhaughey wrote: »

Casseroles tend to dry out more in the oven, I find the best way to keep them moist is to use a slow cooker, they don't lose very much moisture at all compared to the hob or oven.

Thanks CJH
What would normal cooking time be for a beef or lamb casserole in a slow cooker ?

Loire

ifconfig wrote: »

Thanks CJH
What would normal cooking time be for a beef or lamb casserole in a slow cooker ?

I usually brown the meat on a pan and cook for about 4 hours on low in the slow cooker (I start it on high until it bubbles).

squonk

It's not the greatest maybe but I've found adding a small bit of water back into the pot or, better still, onto my plate when reheating the stew is a workaround for this. You need to mix the water into the gloopy mess you've got but it loosens it and you don't notice the difference when the meal is reheated in the microwave. I expect the main reason for the gloopiness is your additive, be it a cassserole helper packet or soup or flour.

Dial Hard

squonk wrote: »

I expect the main reason for the gloopiness is your additive, be it a cassserole helper packet or soup or flour.

Could also be rendered fat from the meat solidifying at room temperature. Should loosen back up once it's heated if it is, though.

If I need to loosen out a next-day stew/curry/chilli I'll throw in a glass of wine/stock/beer, depending on what it is. Works like a charm but it's rare enough I'd need to.

The Hill Billy

If you are cooking it in a pot in the oven - try using a cartouche. This is a piece of cooking parchment slightly larger than the circumference of your pot. Place it on top of the contents & press down so that it completely covers the surface. Then pop the lid on top. It will help loss of liquid during the cooking process.

For stock - I generally use Oxo cubes. Not trendy, I know - but I grew up with them & I love the flavour.

If I'm making stock for a lamb dish I use half & half beef & chicken stock. It may sound gross, but it works.

katydid

ifconfig wrote: »

as an aside - if anyone has better ingredients for beef or lamb casserole stock that don't involve powdered packet stock I am interested.

I use OXO cubes where beef stock is called for and find them fine, but for vegetable or chicken stock (if I haven't made any myself) I use the Knorr Stockpots. They are very good.

ford2600

katydid wrote: »

I use OXO cubes where beef stock is called for and find them fine, but for vegetable or chicken stock (if I haven't made any myself) I use the Knorr Stockpots. They are very good.

I get beef shin bones couple of times a year and make my own. Really simple to make stock.

Few ice cube trays and sorted for a few months.

Used it in a 16hr slow cooked neck of lamb at weekend. It was really good

katydid

ford2600 wrote: »

I get beef shin bones couple of times a year and make my own. Really simple to make stock.

Few ice cube trays and sorted for a few months.

Used it in a 16hr slow cooked neck of lamb at weekend. It was really good

I make it too. But I never have enough room in the freezer to keep it all, so I run out quite quickly. It's easy to keep a running supply of chicken stock, as every chicken we eat gets the stock treatment, but not so easy to remember to get bones from the butcher to make the beef stock, so I take short cuts!