On Friday, December 6, 2013 5:25:51 PM UTC-5, jmcquown wrote:
> On 12/6/2013 3:33 AM, wrote:
>
> > I'm going to try a beef stew in the crock pot on Sunday. I never made it before.
>
> > The several recipes I found on line say to dust the meat in flour and put it
>
> > into the crock pot. I'm wondering if I would do better to brown it first, or
>
> > does it matter? And if I brown it, do I dust it in flour first, or do I dust in
>
> > flour after browning? It just seems I saw someplace that meat should be browned
>
> > before going in a slow cooker. Thanks.
>
> >
>
> Here's my two cents. Crockpot or not, I brown the meat for beef stew
>
> (or a pot roast) simply because it looks better. It also seems to taste
>
> better when you get to the end result.
>
>
>
> When I was first learning how to cook I used to dredge cubed beef in
>
> seasoned flour when making beef stew. Because the recipes said I
>
> should. I figured out later, the flour thing really isn't necessary. I
>
> would season and brown the meat before putting it in the crock pot.

> I have never had luck adding flour to simmering stews towards the end.
>
> It always winds up lumpy. I use a slurry of cornstarch as a thickener
>
> (if needed) instead.
>

I wouldn't add just flour to the stew. Make a slurry, with flour and liquid, and if you have lumps in there, just strain it. Or add a roux, or add kneaded butter...

>
>
> Jill