Beef Stew

This has been done every which way since men figured out that cows
were tasty. Since I am currently unemployed, I went cheap with the
ingredients – all purchased on sale. This made 9 bowls of stew for
me, which seems boring but is cheap eats. Figure $12.50 for 9 bowls
of stew. Add $0.99 for a loaf of ralphs value wheat bread, and you
have 9 good plates of food for maybe $1.50 per plate.

2 lbs stewing beef - $5
2 packets Kroger beef stew powder - $1
1 bottle Charles Shaw cab - $2
½ cup AP flour
6 cups water
1 8oz can tomato sauce - $0.50
4 bay leaves
1 TB garlic powder
1 TB onion powder
1 TB cracked pepper
3 med carrots, peeled and chopped - $0.50
3 med onions, chopped into rings - $0.50
8 oz sliced mushrooms - $1.50
4 red potatos, peeled and chopped - $0.75
2 cups white rice (measure is before cooking) - $0.50

in a large stock pot, combine water, kroger packets, bay leaves,
garlic & onion powder, cracked pepper, and tomato sauce – bring to a
boil
coat beef cubes in the flour
in a large fry pan, heat some veg. Oil and brown the beef in batches
after each batch, use 1 cup of red wine to deglaze the pan, and pour
the wine (with the good caramelized bits all in it) into the stock pot
simmer the beef for approx 1 hour in the stock pot
add chopped vegetables, simmer 1 more hour

I made a pot of jasmine rice. I ladle the stew over the white rice
and enjoy with an ice cold beer. Except for the first night – I
polished off the rest of the wine with my first bowl of stew.

> wrote in message
...
Beef Stew

This has been done every which way since men figured out that cows
were tasty. Since I am currently unemployed, I went cheap with the
ingredients – all purchased on sale. This made 9 bowls of stew for
me, which seems boring but is cheap eats. Figure $12.50 for 9 bowls
of stew. Add $0.99 for a loaf of ralphs value wheat bread, and you
have 9 good plates of food for maybe $1.50 per plate.

2 lbs stewing beef - $5
2 packets Kroger beef stew powder - $1
1 bottle Charles Shaw cab - $2
½ cup AP flour
6 cups water
1 8oz can tomato sauce - $0.50
4 bay leaves
1 TB garlic powder
1 TB onion powder
1 TB cracked pepper
3 med carrots, peeled and chopped - $0.50
3 med onions, chopped into rings - $0.50
8 oz sliced mushrooms - $1.50
4 red potatos, peeled and chopped - $0.75
2 cups white rice (measure is before cooking) - $0.50

in a large stock pot, combine water, kroger packets, bay leaves,
garlic & onion powder, cracked pepper, and tomato sauce – bring to a
boil
coat beef cubes in the flour
in a large fry pan, heat some veg. Oil and brown the beef in batches
after each batch, use 1 cup of red wine to deglaze the pan, and pour
the wine (with the good caramelized bits all in it) into the stock pot
simmer the beef for approx 1 hour in the stock pot
add chopped vegetables, simmer 1 more hour

I made a pot of jasmine rice. I ladle the stew over the white rice
and enjoy with an ice cold beer. Except for the first night – I
polished off the rest of the wine with my first bowl of stew.

That sounds absolutely DREADFUL! For the same price and effort you can make
this classical dish from the late master Julia Child. This is one of the
great dishes of the world, and on my top ten dishes. This post, from
recipezaar.com has been adapted slightly by the author, and slightly by me.
Hugh
Boeuf Bourguignon a La Julia Child Recipe #148007
This is the classic, adapted from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." A
wonderful dish, raising the simple stew to an art form and quite simple to
make--even though the instructions look long. Use Simple Beef Stock, the
recipe for which is posted on this site. Use a wine which you would
drink--not cooking wine. And the better the cut of beef, the better the
stew. As the beef is combined with braised onions and sauteed mushrooms, all
that is needed to complete your main course is a bowl of potatoes or noodles
and lots of good bread for the sauce.
by Chef Kate
5 hours | 1 hour prep

SERVES 6

For the Stew
a.. 6 ounces bacon, solid chunk; Julia uses Salt Pork. Bacon is marginally
OK in a pinch.
b.. 1 tablespoon olive oil
c.. 3 lbs lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes, Use Chuck roast.
d.. 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
e.. 1 onion, peeled and sliced
f.. 1 teaspoon salt
g.. 1/4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
h.. 2 tablespoons flour
i.. 3 cups red wine - Charles Shaw is OK.
j.. 2-3 cups beef stock (Simple Beef stock is posted on the site, unsalted
and defatted)
k.. 1 tablespoon tomato paste
l.. 2 garlic cloves, mashed (you may choose to add more)
m.. 1 sprig thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dred thyme)
n.. 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
For the braised onions
a.. 18-24 white pearl onions, peeled
b.. 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
c.. 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
d.. 1/2 cup beef stock
e.. salt & fresh ground pepper
f.. 1 bay leaf
g.. 1 sprig thyme
h.. 2 sprigs parsley
For the Sauteed Mushrooms
a.. 1 lb mushroom, quartered
b.. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
c.. 1 tablespoon olive oil
1.. First prepare the bacon: cut off the rind and reserve.
2.. Cut the bacon into lardons about 1/4" think and 1 1/2" long.
3.. Simmer the rind and the lardons for ten minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of
water.
4.. Drain and dry the lardons and rind and reserve.
5.. Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
6.. Put the tablespoon of olive oil in a large (9" - 10" wide, 3" deep)
fireproof casserole and warm over moderate heat.
7.. Saute the lardons for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly.
8.. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.
9.. Dry off the pieces of beef and saute them, a few at a time in the hot
oil/bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides.
10.. Once browned, remove to the side plate with the bacon.
11.. In the same oil/fat, saute the onion and the carrot until softened.
12.. Pour off the fat and return the lardons and the beef to the casserole
with the carrots and onion.
13.. Toss the contents of the casserole with the salt and pepper and
sprinkle with the flour.
14.. Set the uncovered casserole in the oven for four minutes.
15.. Toss the contents of the casserole again and return to the hot oven
for 4 more minutes.
16.. Now, lower the heat to 325°F and remove the casserole from the oven.
17.. Add the wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered.
18.. Add the tomato paste, garlic and herbs and the bacon rind.
19.. Bring to a simmer on the top of the stove.
20.. Cover and place in the oven, adjusting the heat so that the liquid
simmers very slowly for three to four hours.
21.. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
22.. While the meat is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms and set
them aside till needed.
23.. For the onion, if using frozen, make sure they are defrosted and
drained.
24.. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and add the onions to the
skillet.
25.. Saute over medium heat for about ten minutes, rolling the onions
about so they brown as evenly as possible, without breaking apart.
26.. Pour in the stock, season to taste, add the herbs, and cover.
27.. Simmer over low heat for about 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are
perfectly tender but retain their shape and the liquid has mostly
evaporated.
28.. Remove the herbs and set the onions aside.
29.. For the mushrooms, heat the butter and oil over high heat in a large
skillet.
30.. As soon as the foam begins to subside add the mushrooms and toss and
shake the pan for about five minutes.
31.. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.
32.. To Finish the Stew:.
33.. When the meat is tender, remover the casserole from the oven and
empty its contents into a sieve set over a saucepan.
34.. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it
(discarding the bits of carrot and onion and herbs which remain in the
sieve).
35.. Distribute the mushrooms and onions over the meat.
36.. Skim the fat off the sauce and simmer it for a minute or two,
skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface.
37.. You should be left with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to
coat a spoon lightly.
38.. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock.
39.. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right
consistency.
40.. Taste for seasoning.
41.. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
42.. If you are serving immediately, place the covered casserole over
medium low heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
43.. Serve in the casserole or on a warm platter surrounded by noodles,
potatoes or rice and garnished with fresh parsley.
44.. If serving later or the next day, allow the casserole to cool and
place cold, covered casserole in the refrigerator.
45.. 20 minutes prior to serving, place over medium low heat and simmer
very slowly for ten minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables
with the sauce.

That looks really tasty.
It's 90 degrees where I am so it's not what I think of as stew weather
but heck....that looks very tasty.
Pretty much how I make it. Not sure what "beef stew powder" is, but I
don't see a can of beef broth or a packet of onion soup mix so I'm
guessing it's some sort of beefy broth base. Wine+tomato sauce+bay
leaves makes an awesome beef stew gravy. Pot roast too, by the way.

Sometimes I use finely chopped onion, carrot and celery and brown it
after the meat is browned,then add it back in with the sauce
ingredients and meat. They are cut up so small they just about
disintegrate into the sauce. Adds a nice touch to the sauce. Then the
larger pieces of carrot are added in later so they don't over cook too
much.

Beef Stew freezes nicely. If you get sick of it after a couple days,
just portion it out and freeze it. You can eat from the freezer for
4-6 weeks.

What other sales did you find this week? A 4-5 lb chicken can be
dinner for several nights, as well. A couple of portions for a meat
and potatoes dinner 2 times, then cut up some other meaty parts to
make either a chicken-noodle casserole or a chicken rice casserole.
Think Tuna Casserole, only with chicken. Add lots of veggies.
Can also make chicken salad for sandwiches or shred it and top with
barbecue sauce for something different.

Finally, when you've picked off all the meat you can, put the bones in
a stock pot with carrots, onions and celery and make some stock to use
as a base for a veggie soup or minestrone type of thing. (it won't be
strong enough to stand on it's own as "chicken soup").

I love this. If you can cook like this, you will never be hungry,
employed or not.
Good luck in your job search.




On Jul 14, 6:07*pm, " >
wrote:
> Beef Stew
>
> This has been done every which way since men figured out that cows
> were tasty. *Since I am currently unemployed, I went cheap with the
> ingredients – all purchased on sale. *This made 9 bowls of stew for
> me, which seems boring but is cheap eats. *Figure $12.50 for 9 bowls
> of stew. *Add $0.99 for a loaf of ralphs value wheat bread, and you
> have 9 good plates of food for maybe $1.50 per plate.
>
> 2 lbs stewing beef - $5
> 2 packets Kroger beef stew powder - $1
> 1 bottle Charles Shaw cab - $2
> ½ cup AP flour
> 6 cups water
> 1 8oz can tomato sauce - $0.50
> 4 bay leaves
> 1 TB garlic powder
> 1 TB onion powder
> 1 TB cracked pepper
> 3 med carrots, peeled and chopped - $0.50
> 3 med onions, chopped into rings - $0.50
> 8 oz sliced mushrooms - $1.50
> 4 red potatos, peeled and chopped - $0.75
> 2 cups white rice (measure is before cooking) - $0.50
>
> in a large stock pot, combine water, kroger packets, bay leaves,
> garlic & onion powder, cracked pepper, and tomato sauce – bring to a
> boil
> coat beef cubes in the flour
> in a large fry pan, heat some veg. Oil and brown the beef in batches
> after each batch, use 1 cup of red wine to deglaze the pan, and pour
> the wine (with the good caramelized bits all in it) into the stock pot
> simmer the beef for approx 1 hour in the stock pot
> add chopped vegetables, simmer 1 more hour
>
> I made a pot of jasmine rice. *I ladle the stew over the white rice
> and enjoy with an ice cold beer. *Except for the first night – I
> polished off the rest of the wine with my first bowl of stew.

On Jul 14, 6:51*pm, "Hugh" > wrote:
> > wrote in message
> That sounds absolutely DREADFUL! For the same price and effort you can make
> this classical dish from the late master Julia Child. This is one of the
> great dishes of the world, and on my top ten dishes. This post, from
> recipezaar.com has been adapted slightly by the author, and slightly by me.
> Hugh

ANd you sound freakin pretentious as hell.
except for the beef stock and the expensive salt pork/bacon.... i
really don't see that big a difference in the OPs recipe and yours. I
wouldn't add prok fat or bacon to beef stew, don't want the added
fat.
and some people have beef stock but most use something from a can or
mix anyway nowadays, so really, what's the big deal?

If the two dishes were side by side, the only thing giving away yours
from the OP's is the addition of bacon. Yours would be identified by
the puddle of grease settling at the top....and the tell-tale flavor
of bacon.



> Boeuf Bourguignon a La Julia Child Recipe #148007
> This is the classic, adapted from "Mastering the Art of French Cooking." A
> wonderful dish, raising the simple stew to an art form and quite simple to
> make--even though the instructions look long. Use Simple Beef Stock, the
> recipe for which is posted on this site. Use a wine which you would
> drink--not cooking wine. And the better the cut of beef, the better the
> stew. As the beef is combined with braised onions and sauteed mushrooms, all
> that is needed to complete your main course is a bowl of potatoes or noodles
> and lots of good bread for the sauce.
> by Chef Kate
> 5 hours | 1 hour prep
>
> SERVES 6
>
> For the Stew
> * a.. 6 ounces bacon, solid chunk; Julia uses Salt Pork. Bacon is marginally
> OK in a pinch.
> * b.. 1 tablespoon olive oil
> * c.. 3 lbs lean stewing beef, cut into 2-inch cubes, Use Chuck roast.
> * d.. 1 carrot, peeled and sliced
> * e.. 1 onion, peeled and sliced
> * f.. 1 teaspoon salt
> * g.. 1/4 teaspoon pepper, freshly ground
> * h.. 2 tablespoons flour
> * i.. 3 cups red wine *- Charles Shaw is OK.
> * j.. 2-3 cups beef stock (Simple Beef stock is posted on the site, unsalted
> and defatted)
> * k.. 1 tablespoon tomato paste
> * l.. 2 garlic cloves, mashed (you may choose to add more)
> * m.. 1 sprig thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dred thyme)
> * n.. 1 bay leaf, preferably fresh
> For the braised onions
> * a.. 18-24 white pearl onions, peeled
> * b.. 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
> * c.. 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
> * d.. 1/2 cup beef stock
> * e.. salt & fresh ground pepper
> * f.. 1 bay leaf
> * g.. 1 sprig thyme
> * h.. 2 sprigs parsley
> For the Sauteed Mushrooms
> * a.. 1 lb mushroom, quartered
> * b.. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
> * c.. 1 tablespoon olive oil
> * 1.. First prepare the bacon: cut off the rind and reserve.
> * 2.. Cut the bacon into lardons about 1/4" think and 1 1/2" long.
> * 3.. Simmer the rind and the lardons for ten minutes in 1 1/2 quarts of
> water.
> * 4.. Drain and dry the lardons and rind and reserve.
> * 5.. Pre-heat the oven to 450°F.
> * 6.. Put the tablespoon of olive oil in a large (9" - 10" wide, 3" deep)
> fireproof casserole and warm over moderate heat.
> * 7.. Saute the lardons for 2 to 3 minutes to brown lightly.
> * 8.. Remove to a side dish with a slotted spoon.
> * 9.. Dry off the pieces of beef and saute them, a few at a time in the hot
> oil/bacon fat until nicely browned on all sides.
> * 10.. Once browned, remove to the side plate with the bacon.
> * 11.. In the same oil/fat, saute the onion and the carrot until softened.
> * 12.. Pour off the fat and return the lardons and the beef to the casserole
> with the carrots and onion.
> * 13.. Toss the contents of the casserole with the salt and pepper and
> sprinkle with the flour.
> * 14.. Set the uncovered casserole in the oven for four minutes.
> * 15.. Toss the contents of the casserole again and return to the hot oven
> for 4 more minutes.
> * 16.. Now, lower the heat to 325°F and remove the casserole from the oven.
> * 17.. Add the wine and enough stock so that the meat is barely covered..
> * 18.. Add the tomato paste, garlic and herbs and the bacon rind.
> * 19.. Bring to a simmer on the top of the stove.
> * 20.. Cover and place in the oven, adjusting the heat so that the liquid
> simmers very slowly for three to four hours.
> * 21.. The meat is done when a fork pierces it easily.
> * 22.. While the meat is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms and set
> them aside till needed.
> * 23.. For the onion, if using frozen, make sure they are defrosted and
> drained.
> * 24.. Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet and add the onions to the
> skillet.
> * 25.. Saute over medium heat for about ten minutes, rolling the onions
> about so they brown as evenly as possible, without breaking apart.
> * 26.. Pour in the stock, season to taste, add the herbs, and cover.
> * 27.. Simmer over low heat for about 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are
> perfectly tender but retain their shape and the liquid has mostly
> evaporated.
> * 28.. Remove the herbs and set the onions aside.
> * 29.. For the mushrooms, heat the butter and oil over high heat in a large
> skillet.
> * 30.. As soon as the foam begins to subside add the mushrooms and toss and
> shake the pan for about five minutes.
> * 31.. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.
> * 32.. To Finish the Stew:.
> * 33.. When the meat is tender, remover the casserole from the oven and
> empty its contents into a sieve set over a saucepan.
> * 34.. Wash out the casserole and return the beef and bacon to it
> (discarding the bits of carrot and onion and herbs which remain in the
> sieve).
> * 35.. Distribute the mushrooms and onions over the meat.
> * 36.. Skim the fat off the sauce and simmer it for a minute or two,
> skimming off any additional fat which rises to the surface.
> * 37.. You should be left with about 2 1/2 cups of sauce thick enough to
> coat a spoon lightly.
> * 38.. If the sauce is too thick, add a few tablespoons of stock.
> * 39.. If the sauce is too thin, boil it down to reduce to the right
> consistency.
> * 40.. Taste for seasoning.
> * 41.. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables.
> * 42.. If you are serving immediately, place the covered casserole over
> medium low heat and simmer 2 to 3 minutes.
> * 43.. Serve in the casserole or on a warm platter surrounded by noodles,
> potatoes or rice and garnished with fresh parsley.
> * 44.. If serving later or the next day, allow the casserole to cool and
> place cold, covered casserole in the refrigerator.
> * 45.. 20 minutes prior to serving, place over medium low heat and simmer
> very slowly for ten minutes, occasionally basting the meat and vegetables
> with the sauce.

What is charles shaw cab-2 $ ?

"Hugh" > wrote >
> That sounds absolutely DREADFUL! For the same price and effort you can
> make this classical dish from the late master Julia Child.

Too much powder, that's for sure. It would be cheaper to make it without it,
too.

On Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:07:49 -0700 (PDT), "
> wrote:

>Beef Stew
>
> Since I am currently unemployed, I went cheap with the
>ingredients – all purchased on sale.

>enjoy with an ice cold beer. >polished off the rest of the wine

Water would have been a more reasonable beverage with your current
employment situation.

> wrote:
except for the beef stock and the expensive salt pork/bacon.... i
really don't see that big a difference in the OPs recipe and yours.

Keyword: powder. So your're malicious AND stupid. Well now, how 'bout that!

"Mary~~ Smokey" > wrote in message
...
> What is charles shaw cab-2 $ ?

AKA Two Buck Chuck

Trader Joe's exclusive Charles Shaw Wines $ 1.99 per bottle 750 ML.

Now made by Fitzer <sp> vineyards.



--
Old Scoundrel

(AKA Dimitri)

"Dimitri" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Mary~~ Smokey" > wrote in message
> ...
>> What is charles shaw cab-2 $ ?
>
> AKA Two Buck Chuck
>
> Trader Joe's exclusive Charles Shaw Wines $ 1.99 per bottle 750 ML.
>
> Now made by Fitzer <sp> vineyards.
>
>
>
> --
> Old Scoundrel
>
> (AKA Dimitri)

Whoops:

The Charles Shaw label is owned by the Bronco Wine Company, headed by Fred
Franzia (formerly of Franzia Brothers wines). The Bronco Wine Company
produces the Charles Shaw label at their Ceres, California winery, which is
not open to the public.

There once was an actual, eponymous winery owned by Charles F. Shaw, which
produced Beaujolais-style wines in the Napa Valley AVA. That winery went out
of business, and the name was sold to Bronco.[1]

DC

On Jul 14, 3:51*pm, "Hugh" > wrote:
>
> That sounds absolutely DREADFUL! For the same price and effort you can make
> this classical dish from the late master Julia Child. This is one of the
> great dishes of the world, and on my top ten dishes.

While I agree that boeuf bourguignon is one of the great classic
dishes and I take pleasure in making it a la Julia, it doesn't follow
that a simpler approach wil be dreadful. You and I may agree that the
extra effort is amply rewarded but it is silly to deny that the
classic dish requires more effort.

When I make an ordinary stew I always use onion and garlic rather than
their powders, and I always include thyme. Beyond that, everything is
fair game for your creativity -- what kind of wine, what kind of
broth, how much carrot, what form of and how much tomato, if any, what
kind of mushrooms and whether to saute them separately, etc., etc.
Some of these come out really well, some only so-so. To say they're
all bad because they're not boeuf bourguignon would be ridiculous. -
aem

CartGirl wrote:
> "Hugh" wrote:
> > > wrote:
> > That sounds absolutely DREADFUL! For the same price and effort you can make
> > this classical dish from the late master Julia Child. This is one of the
> > great dishes of the world, and on my top ten dishes. This post, from
> > recipezaar.com has been adapted slightly by the author, and slightly by me.
> > Hugh
>
> ANd you sound freakin pretentious as hell.
> except for the beef stock and the expensive salt pork/bacon.... i
> really don't see that big a difference in the OPs recipe and yours. I
> wouldn't add prok fat or bacon to beef stew, don't want the added
> fat.
> and some people have beef stock but most use something from a can or
> mix anyway nowadays, so really, what's the big deal?
>
> If the two dishes were side by side, the only thing giving away yours
> from the OP's is the addition of bacon. Yours would be identified by
> the puddle of grease settling at the top....and the tell-tale flavor
> of bacon.


Agreed... and no way are they the same cost, increasing the meat by
one third could break his budget.... the OP clearly said he's
unemployed so on a tight budget.... he probably hasn't all those
ingredients on hand and they'd cost a small fortune to buy. One thing
the OP might consider is that "beef stew seasoning", it's probably
mostly salt and could easily be replaced with a few pinches of very
ordinary dried herbs; marjaram, parsley, dillweed, garlic powder. I'd
have added a lot more potatoes and carrots and omited the wheat
bread... to me wheat bread doesn't go with beef stew and certainly not
with rice... I'd omit the rice too, lots of spuds are better to my
taste. Instead of stew beef I'd buy a hunk of chuck or top round on
sale and chunk it up myself... I never buy "stew meat", it's pretty
much mystery meat. I'd keep the cost down further by not using wine,
I'd add a can of cheapo beer instead. Could save even more by not
using two pots... brown the beef in the stew pot... saves fuel and one
less pot to clean.... I've never in my life made stew with two
separate pots, what's that all about. I'd also add those 'shrooms way
at the end... stewing fresh 'shrooms more than 5 minutes may as well
use canned.

"aem" > wrote:
>When I make an ordinary stew I always use onion and garlic rather than
>their powders, and I always include thyme. Beyond that, everything is
>fair game for your creativity -- what kind of wine, what kind of
>broth, how much carrot, what form of and how much tomato, if any, what
>kind of mushrooms and whether to saute them separately, etc., etc.
>Some of these come out really well, some only so-so. To say they're
>all bad because they're not boeuf bourguignon would be ridiculous. -


I agree. There are so many weird chemicals in those mixes. I use them for
Asian dishes because I don't keep a lot of those ingredients around, but not
for beef stew. I also do not like wine in mine.

"Sheldon" > wrote in message
...
> CartGirl wrote:
>> "Hugh" wrote:
>> > > wrote:
>> > That sounds absolutely DREADFUL! For the same price and effort you can
>> > make
>> > this classical dish from the late master Julia Child. This is one of
>> > the
>> > great dishes of the world, and on my top ten dishes. This post, from
>> > recipezaar.com has been adapted slightly by the author, and slightly by
>> > me.
>> > Hugh
>>
>> ANd you sound freakin pretentious as hell.
>> except for the beef stock and the expensive salt pork/bacon.... i
>> really don't see that big a difference in the OPs recipe and yours. I
>> wouldn't add prok fat or bacon to beef stew, don't want the added
>> fat.
>> and some people have beef stock but most use something from a can or
>> mix anyway nowadays, so really, what's the big deal?
>>
>> If the two dishes were side by side, the only thing giving away yours
>> from the OP's is the addition of bacon. Yours would be identified by
>> the puddle of grease settling at the top....and the tell-tale flavor
>> of bacon.
>
>
> Agreed... and no way are they the same cost, increasing the meat by
> one third could break his budget.... the OP clearly said he's
> unemployed so on a tight budget.... he probably hasn't all those
> ingredients on hand and they'd cost a small fortune to buy. One thing
> the OP might consider is that "beef stew seasoning", it's probably
> mostly salt and could easily be replaced with a few pinches of very
> ordinary dried herbs; marjaram, parsley, dillweed, garlic powder. I'd
> have added a lot more potatoes and carrots and omited the wheat
> bread... to me wheat bread doesn't go with beef stew and certainly not
> with rice... I'd omit the rice too, lots of spuds are better to my
> taste. Instead of stew beef I'd buy a hunk of chuck or top round on
> sale and chunk it up myself... I never buy "stew meat", it's pretty
> much mystery meat. I'd keep the cost down further by not using wine,
> I'd add a can of cheapo beer instead.
>
>
You've converted the dish to that great Flemish dish, Carbonade Flamande.
This is one of our favorites. The dark beer is important. When you make beef
stews, always buy chuck in pieces and cut it into 2" chunks.

Carbonade Flamande

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound onions, sliced
2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2" pieces.
2 teaspoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cups dark beer
1 cup beef stock
Salt and pepper
1 bay leaf
2 teaspoons mixed dried herbs, crumbled (thyme, rosemary, sage)

To a casserole pan add butter. When butter is hot stir in onions and saute
until caramelized. Pour browned onions into a sieve over a bowl and let
drain. Pour the fat from the onions back into the casserole and when the fat
is hot add beef, and remove as slices become brown. Drain in the sieve with
the onions.
In the same casserole, stir in the brown sugar and add the flour. When a
roux has formed, stir in mustard and add beer slowly to deglaze the pan. Add
beef stock and season with salt and pepper. Pour liquid into a bowl.

Layer the casserole with the meat and onions, making 3 layers of meat,
sandwiching 2 layers of onions. Add a bay leaf and a teaspoon of mixed herbs
on each layer of onions. Pour beef sauce back into the casserole. Add more
beer to cover the meat if necessary. Bring casserole to a boil, cover and
bake in a 300 degree oven for 3 hours. Skim off fat, season with salt and
pepper and serve.

> >enjoy with an ice cold beer.
> >polished off the rest of the wine
>
> Water would have been a more reasonable beverage with your current
> employment situation.
>
I don't know about that, one shouldn't neglect the spirit.

Kitamun

--

On Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:07:49 -0700 (PDT), "
> wrote:

>Beef Stew
>
>This has been done every which way since men figured out that cows
>were tasty. Since I am currently unemployed, I went cheap with the
>ingredients – all purchased on sale. This made 9 bowls of stew for
>me, which seems boring but is cheap eats. Figure $12.50 for 9 bowls
>of stew. Add $0.99 for a loaf of ralphs value wheat bread, and you
>have 9 good plates of food for maybe $1.50 per plate.
>
>2 lbs stewing beef - $5
>2 packets Kroger beef stew powder - $1
>1 bottle Charles Shaw cab - $2
>½ cup AP flour
>6 cups water
>1 8oz can tomato sauce - $0.50
>4 bay leaves
>1 TB garlic powder
>1 TB onion powder
>1 TB cracked pepper
>3 med carrots, peeled and chopped - $0.50
>3 med onions, chopped into rings - $0.50
>8 oz sliced mushrooms - $1.50
>4 red potatos, peeled and chopped - $0.75
>2 cups white rice (measure is before cooking) - $0.50
>
>in a large stock pot, combine water, kroger packets, bay leaves,
>garlic & onion powder, cracked pepper, and tomato sauce – bring to a
>boil
>coat beef cubes in the flour
>in a large fry pan, heat some veg. Oil and brown the beef in batches
>after each batch, use 1 cup of red wine to deglaze the pan, and pour
>the wine (with the good caramelized bits all in it) into the stock pot
>simmer the beef for approx 1 hour in the stock pot
>add chopped vegetables, simmer 1 more hour
>
>I made a pot of jasmine rice. I ladle the stew over the white rice
>and enjoy with an ice cold beer. Except for the first night – I
>polished off the rest of the wine with my first bowl of stew.
Not bad, I've been eatin on the cheap since I went on social security and with
variations this is what I've been living on for years:
You'll need a big stewpot.

Leftover Stew


3 lb. leftover Meat
4 large carrots quartered
3 medium onions cut in eighths
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
5 lb. small red potatos cut in quarters or smaller as desired
2 cups strong beef stock (or boullion)(boullion in beer worked GREAT)
1 cup sliced mushrooms (optional)
1/4 cup Worchestershire sauce or to taste
1 can lima beans
1 can green beans
1 can kidney beans
1 can sweet peas
2 tbsp flour in water to thicken (optional)

Simmer 3 hours or untill the spuds are cooked through.

Note: Strong beef stock is 7 Tbsp bulk bouilion in 2 cups of hot water.

Note2: leftover meat is just about any cooked meat except fish.

My most recent change has been to replace the canned and fresh veg with 3 lb bags of
frozen from the local restaurant supply (Gordon's) with one each of Mixed Vegatables
and Snap Bean Stirfry and eliminate the meat. (Yep, doctor told me no more beef or
pork.)