To max stew flavour ...When to add stock cubes and Guinness ?

worded · 29-10-2020 2:23am #1

I made a lovely Lamb Guinness Stew which I sampled throughout the cooking ...

As it got near cooked (1.5 hours) the flavour got weaker. It was heavenly at 30 mins ... near addictive to be honest. I was like a crack addict chasing that first high :-)

Would it be better to add the stock cubes and Guinness at 60 mins?
Maybe adding 1/3 salt at 30 min intervals instead of at the seared meat stage...

Other ideas ....

https://www.thekitchn.com/10-ways-to-make-your-chili-and-stews-taste-amazing-239406

Dizzyblonde · 30-10-2020 2:28pm

I actually like stew more when it's been simmering for ages. You could try adding the Guinness and herbs for the last 30 minutes, but if you like a thick stew you'd need to thicken it with cornflour at the end.

worded · 07-11-2020 10:36pm

Dizzyblonde wrote: »

I actually like stew more when it's been simmering for ages. You could try adding the Guinness and herbs for the last 30 minutes, but if you like a thick stew you'd need to thicken it with cornflour at the end.

Will give that a go next time and report back ...

Feisar · 08-11-2020 9:59pm

Really surprised at a stew loosing flavor. Shouldn't it intensify as it simmers down/reduces? I'd at the Guinness early, I add all alcohol early to allow it to cook off/mellow.

As blondie said stews are best simmered for ages. The tougher the meat the better, shin is some job in a stew.

inajock · 08-11-2020 10:03pm

Double espresso in the Guinness stews.

Limpy · 08-11-2020 10:05pm

From college days it was brown the meat that was coated with flour, brown the veg, deglaze the pan with the Guinness to cook out the alcohol. Add all to same pot. Add spuds then around halfway. Bring it almost to a boil and then simmer for a 2/3 Hours, the longer and slower the softer then meat.

A stew boiled is a stew spoiled.

[Deleted User] · 08-11-2020 10:05pm

Guinness once meat veg are browned and sizzle down for a few mins

stock in after that and let it sit

agree with other poster that its unusual to lose flavour after that, but as a theory, tasting it throughout will leave you less impacted by the end result maybe

Feisar · 08-11-2020 10:13pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Guinness once meat veg are browned and sizzle down for a few mins

stock in after that and let it sit

agree with other poster that its unusual to lose flavour after that, but as a theory, tasting it throughout will leave you less impacted by the end result maybe

They say food you cook yerself never tastes as good as getting it haned to you. I'd say it's the sampling as you go.

Feisar · 08-11-2020 10:21pm

inajock wrote: »

Double espresso in the Guinness stews.

???. I've tried coffee in chili con carne, never heard of it in a stew. In chili the theory I read is it "separates" the flavors.

I love the idea of pulling a concept from one school and bringing it to another. Fish sauce in bolognese for example. Soy sauce as also a good sub for salt in stews added umami and all that!

inajock · 08-11-2020 10:35pm

The coffee adds to the bitterness of the stout and adds colour. You can bring it back with a little demerera sugar if you like. Shin beef if it can be got I've found best for stews as said above. I used to love that bitter smell form the brewery up around James street when I was a child.

Markcheese · 08-11-2020 10:45pm

Feisar wrote: »

They say food you cook yerself never tastes as good as getting it haned to you. I'd say it's the sampling as you go.

There's quite a bit of truth in that ...

I wouldn't put guinness in a lamb stew ( but that's personnel ) ,I'd be very wary of a stock cube too .... They can take over ..( so if you're gonna use one ,go very light with it ) .
If your stewing lamb is cooked in 30 / 40 mins you're using the wrong cut , - that depth of flavour your after is from long slow cooking , tough meat cooked for hours ,the depth of flavour is from the connective tissue ( which makes it tough ) breaking down ..
Lamb neck , would be my choice -, cooked on the bone in an Irish stew . I add a splash of worcestershire sauce for umami - and a couple of bay leaves ...
And ideally eat it the next day .... The flavours develop overnight ..

inajock · 08-11-2020 10:55pm

Best leaving out stock cubes and other mixes, in my opinion all that's needed for stews and ragu's in to get salt in to the meat early and only season it just before its served

the beer revolu · 09-11-2020 12:26pm

Feisar wrote: »

???. I've tried coffee in chili con carne, never heard of it in a stew. In chili the theory I read is it "separates" the flavors.

I love the idea of pulling a concept from one school and bringing it to another. Fish sauce in bolognese for example. Soy sauce as also a good sub for salt in stews added umami and all that!

I've been known to use fish sauce and soy sauce in any number of dishes from all corners of the world.
I also find that a couple of slices of fresh ginger can give a stew a nice lift without tasting "gingery".

Loveinapril · 09-11-2020 12:32pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

I've been known to use fish sauce and soy sauce in any number of dishes from all corners of the world.
I also find that a couple of slices of fresh ginger can give a stew a nice lift without tasting "gingery".

Ah now, you've gone too far!

the beer revolu · 09-11-2020 12:35pm

Loveinapril wrote: »

Ah now, you've gone too far!

You haven't tasted my stews!!

looksee · 09-11-2020 12:44pm

You hardly need salt if you use stock cube - stock cubes are largely salt anyway. I prefer a cube in stews and casseroles, but I use them sparingly. I like celery (sliced thinly) in most stew type dishes, I often omit onion, or use leek, and the celery provides depth of flavour. I have pretty much stopped using pieces of carrot in stews as it goes soggy - the family prefer carrot al dente.

I do lamb stew either the root veg route - neck of lamb with turnip (essential), celery/celeriac, onion/leek, some finely chopped carrot, thyme, rosemary. Or lamb pieces with celery, leek, bell pepper, tomatoes (+ pinch of sugar), rosemary, basil. No two recipes are ever the same! Lentils are good too. I would not use guinness in lamb dishes, but its all down to personal preference.

Loveinapril · 09-11-2020 1:07pm

I am doing a beef stew tonight. I got a can of Guinness stout and plan to do a leek mash with it but I like the idea of lentils too. I have some barley I might throw in.

HeidiHeidi · 09-11-2020 1:10pm

I too am going to do a beef and Guinness stew today, prompted by this thread!

If I do it in a low oven in a casserole for say 3 hours, what's the optimum time to put in a) sliced carrots, and b) new/baby potatoes so that all are the ideal texture at the end of the 3 hours??? (ideal being not raw, but not mush either)

breezy1985 · 09-11-2020 1:12pm

inajock wrote: »

Double espresso in the Guinness stews.

I love double espressos and stew please don't get my hopes up. Is this real or is it like brown sauce in your tea?

GHOST MGG · 09-11-2020 1:13pm

From a professional standpoint..when making "guiness stews" or "guiness pie fillings" you would never use guiness because during the cooking process the guiness would become bitter so usually a softer Stout would be used like Murphys etc

breezy1985 · 09-11-2020 1:15pm

inajock wrote: »

Best leaving out stock cubes and other mixes, in my opinion all that's needed for stews and ragu's in to get salt in to the meat early and only season it just before its served

And always use some of the Guinness to wash the bits from the pan into the pot if you have sealed the meat

the beer revolu · 09-11-2020 1:22pm

GHOST MGG wrote: »

From a professional standpoint..when making "guiness stews" or "guiness pie fillings" you would never use guiness because during the cooking process the guiness would become bitter so usually a softer Stout would be used like Murphys etc

I've been saying this for years but no one seems to listen.
While Guinness isn't particularly bitter, it seems to lend excess bitterness to stews in my experience.

HeidiHeidi · 09-11-2020 1:23pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

I've been saying this for years but no one seems to listen.
While Guinness isn't particularly bitter, it seems to lend excess bitterness to stews in my experience.

OK, I'm going to listen this time - what stout would you recommend then?

Feisar · 09-11-2020 1:54pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

I've been saying this for years but no one seems to listen.
While Guinness isn't particularly bitter, it seems to lend excess bitterness to stews in my experience.

Is that a can with a widget or does the same apply to a bottle of stout?

the beer revolu · 09-11-2020 2:04pm

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

OK, I'm going to listen this time - what stout would you recommend then?

Really, pretty much any other stout!!
Brown and red beers make lovely stews, too as does a Dunkleweiss.

the beer revolu · 09-11-2020 2:05pm

Feisar wrote: »

Is that a can with a widget or does the same apply to a bottle of stout?

Not sure I've tried a widget can.
I stopped using Guinness in cooking years ago as I didn't like it.

HeidiHeidi · 10-11-2020 3:14pm

HeidiHeidi wrote: »

I too am going to do a beef and Guinness stew today, prompted by this thread!

If I do it in a low oven in a casserole for say 3 hours, what's the optimum time to put in a) sliced carrots, and b) new/baby potatoes so that all are the ideal texture at the end of the 3 hours??? (ideal being not raw, but not mush either)

I'll answer my own question here, in case it's any use to someone else trying stew.....

40 minutes is not quite enough. They're very edible, and may well be to some tastes, but I'd prefer them a bit softer, and the spuds to be better able to soak up all the lovely gravy. I'll leave them 50 minutes or an hour next time. This time I'll just reheat the stew in the oven for half an hour or longer.

On another note, despite my absolute HORROR of fatty, gristly meat, I trusted the butcher and went with "leg beef" (presumably the shin beef mentioned here before). I usually use the cubed round steak he has.

Well, OMG, what a revelation! Not a bit of fat could I taste/feel, and the meat absolutely melted in the mouth.

And I used Beamish this time, from a widget can - not sure I can actually tell the difference tbh.

But a resounding success!

the beer revolu · 10-11-2020 3:42pm

I always but the veg (carrots, onion, celery) at the start of cooking - I find carrots only get so soft no matter how long you cook them for.
Softer veg like sweet potato or courgette would go in at the end, if using.

I see that cooking potatoes in the stew is very popular.
I never do this.
I would put a cut up potato into an Irish stew but my spuds are always steamed, separately. I have more control that way and I don't see how potatoes cooked in the stew add anything.

I guess it saves a pot, though.

HeidiHeidi · 10-11-2020 3:44pm

the beer revolu wrote: »

I always but the veg (carrots, onion, celery) at the start of cooking - I find carrots only get so soft no matter how long you cook them for.
Softer veg like sweet potato or courgette would go in at the end, if using.

I see that cooking potatoes in the stew is very popular.
I never do this.
I would put a cut up potato into an Irish stew but my spuds are always steamed, separately. I have more control that way and I don't see how potatoes cooked in the stew add anything.

I guess it saves a pot, though.

Oh but they soak up the flavour of the liquid - they're GORGEOUS!!! I do enough for 3 or 4 portions in the stew, then have creamy mash or whatever with the rest.

worded · 11-11-2020 12:51am

Loveinapril wrote: »

I am doing a beef stew tonight. I got a can of Guinness stout and plan to do a leek mash with it but I like the idea of lentils too. I have some barley I might throw in.

Barley def a good idea.

But what kind of Lentils? Ones that will be visible at the end or mushed?

Storage - these are great.
https://www.ikea.com/ie/en/p/pruta-food-container-transparent-yellow-90335843/

I free a few and defrost over night as need be, like tomorrow :-)

tangy · 11-11-2020 11:22am

Gotta love that fridge photo on the IKEA page: 10 items in the whole thing. Right

To max stew flavour ...When to add stock cubes and Guinness ?

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