First Time Stew Maker

[plumtreeblossom]

I made my first beef stew in the crockpot beowabbit gave me years ago, and it was at least as good as any beef stew I've ever had. I've just recently started using the crockpot, and I have to say, I'm a happy convert.

beowabbit schooled me on the informality of crockpot cooking. When I mentioned looking for a recipe, he said "Oh, no recipe needed. You just throw in whatever you've got." This was just prior to an amazing brisket I made last week without a recipe, so once again I just threw in what I had on hand for the stew. A package of inexpensive stew beef from Shaw's, carrots, potatoes, onions and celery from the Two-Dollar-A-Bag groceries that surrealestate got for me, a can of beef stock, pepper and salt. I put it all in last night and let it bubble all night and all day today, then thickened it with Wondra flour. Whipped up some Bisquick biscuits, and we just had a mighty fine comfort meal. The batch of stew would have fed at least 4 or 5 hungry people, and the whole thing cost way less than $10. I didn't measure anything, just tossed in what renaissance and colonial recipes call "a goodely ammount" of everything on hand that looked like it wanted to be stewed. Easy as Easier than pie.

Yum!

Comments

[warlord-mit.livejournal.com]

Sounds very yummy!! Congrats on trying something new, and I'm glad it worked out! :-D

[kencf0618.livejournal.com]

I should try this. I tend to throw unseemly bachelor chow into the microwave.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! You have unlocked the "harried housewife's secret", LOL! Sounds yummy.

[thorbol.livejournal.com]

How did you cook the brisket? We have one that really wants to be yummy, and we're trying to figure out how to accommodate it.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I did the brisket overnight in the crockpot. I cut up some potatoes, carrots and onions, added some garlic, a can of beef stock and let it cook all night and the next day. It was so tender it fell apart. You need to check the liquid level once or twice, but you can just add plain water at that point. Its really cooking that does itself. I hardly had to do anything.

If you don't have a crockpot, I know brisket can be done really nicely in the oven, but I would recommend looking up a few recipes for that, since I've never done it.

[thorbol.livejournal.com]

Thanks! We do have a crockpot, I'm glad to say.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

Yum! I'll bet yours comes out fantastic! The longer you leave it in the better it will be!

[pywaket.livejournal.com]

Crockpots are awesome things to have in the kitchen, if you like cheap, tasty and easy to make food. During the fall/winter, I tend to make something in mine once a week, usually a stew or soup, but also chili. Typically I will do this on Sunday, and eat whatever it is until I get tired of it and then freeze the rest. Then I eat one of the other frozen things from one of the previous weeks. It means that cooking is not something I have to worry about unless I want to, and I don't end up eating junk otherwise.

Glad you were able to get stuff from dollar-a-bag. When Surrealestate and I were interviewing each other a few weeks ago to determine if we'd make good housemates, I suggested it to her. It was a lifesaver for me the last time I was unemployed, and it comforts me to know it is there this time around, too.

One other thing: often, precut stew beef is actually more expensive than a roast. Something to pay attention to.

[plumtreeblossom.livejournal.com]

I am loving this crockpot. Jay gave it to me almost 3 years ago, and being an addict of convenience food, I didn't get around to trying it until recently. But the meals coming out of it have been just amazing, and I can't afford to eat the lazy way I used to. I'm really looking forward to all the things I'll be able to make in it.

And I'm so glad you and surrealestate are going to be housemates!