I have bought everything to make a beef stew tonight in my crockpot.

In preparation, I browsed a bunch of online recipes and found that there
are a couple of ways to approach the inclusion of potatoes in a crockpot
stew. Most tell one to cut the potatoes into chunks and put them into the
bottom of the crockpot, along with the other vegetables for the stew (i.e.,
carrots, celery, onions, etc.) But a few other recipes recommend boiling
the potatoes separately, until just tender, and adding them into the
crockpot mixture, during the last hour, or so, of cooking. Well, I had
thought about that, already. I certainly don't want moooshy 'taters! Can
someone with more experience than I, in these matters, share some
histories, pro and con, about getting the potatoes just right? I hate to
waste the time and money getting it all just right, except for the potatoes.
I plan on making enough to freeze for future meals.

One or two of the recipes which call for boiling the potatoes separately
note that leaving the potatoes out till the very end, also gives one the
option of serving a portion of the stew, without potatoes, over broad
egg noodles. And I kinda like that thought!

A quick separate inclusion: One of my pet peeves over the last
several years is buying a container of potato salad at a local supermarket,
almost ANY of them, only to find that the potatoes are almost raw.
Yuck! I am not averse to a little crunch in my potato salad. I usually
include a little sliced and diced celery, as much for the contrasting
texture as for the taste. But I really HATE it when the potatoes are
the source of the crunch. Who cooks this product that floods so many
major markets, in so many plastic tubs? Are they complete idiots?
Did they never eat potato salad growing up? I have thrown out so
many containers of this dreck over the years. It's not like you can
nuke it in the microwave to fix it. Not with all of the dressing already
mixed into it. I've tried mashing it with a fork, only to bend the tines
of the fork. I live alone and sometimes it just isn't practical to whomp
up a recipe's worth of potato salad for myself. I only want a
serving or two. So, every so often I give it another try. Sometimes
it is okay. But often, it is inedible. Am I alone in this?

Thanks, in advance!

Paul in Massachusetts

Paul O'Neill > wrote in message
...
> I have bought everything to make a beef stew tonight in my crockpot.
==> Potatology of Crockpots 201 <==

Some of the best stews I've made were in my crockpot. Potatoes are
always cut into quarters, placed in the bottom, carrots next, onions,
and then the browned beef. Cook the whole shabang for 4 hours (8 on low)
and right towards the end of the cooking-time, add in the browning gravy
for thickening and added flavor. To pre-boil the potato, as you noted,
will only make them too soft and liquidy or pulpy in the final product.

> "supermarket potato salad with undercooked potatoes"

Believe it or not, it's done on purpose because the customers that were
part of some obscure focal group chose under-cooked, almost-raw potatoes
over other choices. If you're that discouraged, make it yourself and you
can't go wrong.

Here are two Clan Ranger favorites that can be easily reduced.

GERMAN POTATO SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
5 slices thick-cut, applewood-smoked bacon, crumbled
1 small Bermuda/Maui onion, chopped
2 Tbs. flour
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1-1/3 cups water
1/8 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
pinch pepper
6 cups potatoes, cooked and sliced (whites are best)

METHOD:
Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Reserve 2 to 3 Tbs.
drippings. Crumble bacon. Sauté onion in bacon drippings until
translucent. Blend in flour, slowly; stir in vinegar and water. Cook
mixture until steadily boiling and mixture thickens -- slightly;
back-of-spoon test. Add sugar, salt, pepper. Simmer 10 minutes. Layer
potatoes, bacon, and sauce in top of double boiler. Keep warm over hot
water for three hours to allow flavors to meld. Serve warm.

Confetti Potato Salad

Ingredients:
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
3 cups diced potatoes
1 Tbs. chopped pimiento
1 Tbs. chopped jalapeno
1/2 cup sour cream (or creme fraiche)
2 Tbs. whole milk
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Method:
Mix all ingredients together and chill for three hours prior to
serving.

The Ranger
--
"All Scottish cooking began as a dare."
Mike Meyers

Paul O'Neill > wrote in message
...
> I have bought everything to make a beef stew tonight in my crockpot.
==> Potatology of Crockpots 201 <==

Some of the best stews I've made were in my crockpot. Potatoes are
always cut into quarters, placed in the bottom, carrots next, onions,
and then the browned beef. Cook the whole shabang for 4 hours (8 on low)
and right towards the end of the cooking-time, add in the browning gravy
for thickening and added flavor. To pre-boil the potato, as you noted,
will only make them too soft and liquidy or pulpy in the final product.

> "supermarket potato salad with undercooked potatoes"

Believe it or not, it's done on purpose because the customers that were
part of some obscure focal group chose under-cooked, almost-raw potatoes
over other choices. If you're that discouraged, make it yourself and you
can't go wrong.

Here are two Clan Ranger favorites that can be easily reduced.

GERMAN POTATO SALAD

INGREDIENTS:
5 slices thick-cut, applewood-smoked bacon, crumbled
1 small Bermuda/Maui onion, chopped
2 Tbs. flour
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1-1/3 cups water
1/8 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
pinch pepper
6 cups potatoes, cooked and sliced (whites are best)

METHOD:
Fry bacon until crisp. Drain on paper towel. Reserve 2 to 3 Tbs.
drippings. Crumble bacon. Sauté onion in bacon drippings until
translucent. Blend in flour, slowly; stir in vinegar and water. Cook
mixture until steadily boiling and mixture thickens -- slightly;
back-of-spoon test. Add sugar, salt, pepper. Simmer 10 minutes. Layer
potatoes, bacon, and sauce in top of double boiler. Keep warm over hot
water for three hours to allow flavors to meld. Serve warm.

Confetti Potato Salad

Ingredients:
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
3 cups diced potatoes
1 Tbs. chopped pimiento
1 Tbs. chopped jalapeno
1/2 cup sour cream (or creme fraiche)
2 Tbs. whole milk
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

Method:
Mix all ingredients together and chill for three hours prior to
serving.

The Ranger
--
"All Scottish cooking began as a dare."
Mike Meyers

The Ranger wrote:

>
>
>>"supermarket potato salad with undercooked potatoes"
>
>
> Believe it or not, it's done on purpose because the customers that were
> part of some obscure focal group chose under-cooked, almost-raw potatoes
> over other choices...

....as a sick practical joke.

Best regards,
Bob

"Paul O'Neill" > wrote in
:

> I have bought everything to make a beef stew tonight in my crockpot.
>
> In preparation, I browsed a bunch of online recipes and found that
> there are a couple of ways to approach the inclusion of potatoes in a
> crockpot stew. Most tell one to cut the potatoes into chunks and put
> them into the bottom of the crockpot, along with the other vegetables
> for the stew (i.e., carrots, celery, onions, etc.) But a few other
> recipes recommend boiling the potatoes separately, until just tender,
> and adding them into the crockpot mixture, during the last hour, or
> so, of cooking. Well, I had

<< snipped >>

Paul, I have always included all the vegetables with the meat when making
stew in a crockpot, and find that everything comes out just about right.

Contrary to what you might think, hard or firm vegetables like potatoes
and carrots actually cook slower than the meat when cooked in a crockpot,
so they don't come out mushy.

In theory, most crockpot recipes call for putting the potatoes and
carrots in the crockpot first, followed by the meat and softer vegetables
like peas. Supposedly, this is supposed to cause the root vegetables to
cook faster than if they were mixed throughout. I get the best results
when everything is mixed together. If I use peas, I don't include them
at all, and stir them in just before serving.

BTW, I always use the "slow" or "low" setting when I make stew. It
easily takes 8-10 hours.

HTH

--
Wayne in Phoenix

*If there's a nit to pick, some nitwit will pick it.
*A mind is a terrible thing to lose.

zxcvbob > wrote in message
...
> > >"supermarket potato salad with undercooked potatoes"
> > >
> > Believe it or not, it's done on purpose because the customers
> > that were part of some obscure focal group chose under-cooked,
> > almost-raw potatoes over other choices...
> >
> ...as a sick practical joke.

Without a doubt.

ObAltCrockpotRecipe: I've made the below recipe five times now and it's
now a part of Clan Ranger's Winter Meal Rotation. Beware making it in
summer if you live in muggy areas.

ERNESTO'S MEXICAN FOOD CHILE VERDE
Source: Ernesto's Mexican Food, Sacramento, California

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds lean pork roast (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
10 green tomatillos
2 tablespoons diced jalapenos
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons canola oil

METHOD:
Place most of the ingredients in blender (except pork) and puree.
In a small pot, brown cubed pork with three tablespoons of canola
oil. Make sure to brown all sides evenly. This should take about ten
minutes.
Remove all excess oil from meat. Stir in pureed ingredients and let
simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Cooking time depends on size of cube and
how much the meat cooked while browning.
Taste for flavor; for more spiciness, add jalapenos.

The Ranger
--
"Fell deeds awake: Fire and slaughter! Spear shall be shaken, shield
shall be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!"
-- Theoden King, Return of the King

zxcvbob > wrote in message
...
> > >"supermarket potato salad with undercooked potatoes"
> > >
> > Believe it or not, it's done on purpose because the customers
> > that were part of some obscure focal group chose under-cooked,
> > almost-raw potatoes over other choices...
> >
> ...as a sick practical joke.

Without a doubt.

ObAltCrockpotRecipe: I've made the below recipe five times now and it's
now a part of Clan Ranger's Winter Meal Rotation. Beware making it in
summer if you live in muggy areas.

ERNESTO'S MEXICAN FOOD CHILE VERDE
Source: Ernesto's Mexican Food, Sacramento, California

INGREDIENTS:
2 pounds lean pork roast (cut into 1/2-inch cubes)
10 green tomatillos
2 tablespoons diced jalapenos
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tablespoons canola oil

METHOD:
Place most of the ingredients in blender (except pork) and puree.
In a small pot, brown cubed pork with three tablespoons of canola
oil. Make sure to brown all sides evenly. This should take about ten
minutes.
Remove all excess oil from meat. Stir in pureed ingredients and let
simmer for 20 to 25 minutes. Cooking time depends on size of cube and
how much the meat cooked while browning.
Taste for flavor; for more spiciness, add jalapenos.

The Ranger
--
"Fell deeds awake: Fire and slaughter! Spear shall be shaken, shield
shall be splintered, a sword-day, a red day, ere the sun rises!"
-- Theoden King, Return of the King

"The Ranger" > wrote in message
...
> Paul O'Neill > wrote in message
> ...

> > "supermarket potato salad with undercooked potatoes"
>
> Believe it or not, it's done on purpose because the customers that were
> part of some obscure focal group chose under-cooked, almost-raw potatoes
> over other choices.
Yeah it's that same verkakenaugh group that chose cold pastrami sandwiches
out west--yuuch-p'tooi
John

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 17:28:35 -0700, "The Ranger"
> wrote:

> Believe it or not, it's done on purpose because the customers that were
> part of some obscure focal group chose under-cooked, almost-raw potatoes
> over other choices. If you're that discouraged, make it yourself and you
> can't go wrong.

I don't have a problem with the potatoes in supermarket
potato salad, but I DO have a problem with everything else.
YUCK.

sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 17:28:35 -0700, "The Ranger"
> wrote:

> Believe it or not, it's done on purpose because the customers that were
> part of some obscure focal group chose under-cooked, almost-raw potatoes
> over other choices. If you're that discouraged, make it yourself and you
> can't go wrong.

I don't have a problem with the potatoes in supermarket
potato salad, but I DO have a problem with everything else.
YUCK.

sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 17:28:35 -0700, "The Ranger"
> wrote:

> GERMAN POTATO SALAD
>
Thanks for the recipe.... I thought I didn't have one, but
when I saved yours "to file" - surprise, surprise!
Guess what I found?


GERMAN POTATO SALAD

8 slices bacon
3 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons chopped onion
2/3 cup vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon powdered dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon crumbled whole rosemary leaves
2 quarts cooked diced potatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, drain and crumble.
Add flour and onion to the bacon fat left in the pan. Stir
in vinegar, water, sugar, salt and spices. Cook only until
mixture is of medium thickness. Add to potatoes, parsley and
crumbled bacon.

Mix carefully to prevent mashing the potatoes.

Serves 8 to 10.

House & Garden
February 1957


I will change this recipe to note that the potatoes should
be hot and to serve the salad warm (like your recipe)....
I guess that was implicit in 1957.


Many thanks

sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Tue, 10 Aug 2004 17:28:35 -0700, "The Ranger"
> wrote:

> GERMAN POTATO SALAD
>
Thanks for the recipe.... I thought I didn't have one, but
when I saved yours "to file" - surprise, surprise!
Guess what I found?


GERMAN POTATO SALAD

8 slices bacon
3 tablespoons flour
4 teaspoons chopped onion
2/3 cup vinegar
2/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon powdered dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon crumbled whole rosemary leaves
2 quarts cooked diced potatoes
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Fry bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, drain and crumble.
Add flour and onion to the bacon fat left in the pan. Stir
in vinegar, water, sugar, salt and spices. Cook only until
mixture is of medium thickness. Add to potatoes, parsley and
crumbled bacon.

Mix carefully to prevent mashing the potatoes.

Serves 8 to 10.

House & Garden
February 1957


I will change this recipe to note that the potatoes should
be hot and to serve the salad warm (like your recipe)....
I guess that was implicit in 1957.


Many thanks

sf
Practice safe eating - always use condiments

On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 04:42:36 GMT, sf > wrote:
> > "Focus Group Marketing of undercooked Potato Salad"

> I don't have a problem with the potatoes in supermarket
> potato salad, but I DO have a problem with everything else.
> YUCK.

Unfortunately, success breeds copycats and the wildly successful
chains don't do anything without consulting focus groups. <sigh> As a
foodie and snob I find this disturbing. If my IL's are any indication
of what the Masses "like" I'm doomed to mediocre food with substandard
service.

The Ranger

On Thu, 12 Aug 2004 05:00:57 GMT, sf > wrote:
[snip]
> I will change this recipe to note that the potatoes should
> be hot and to serve the salad warm (like your recipe)....
> I guess that was implicit in 1957.

It's funny what the different cookbooks think was 'normal practice'
and what level of details they were willing to go into. My
head-scratching always comes from can-sizes. <G>

>Many thanks

I live but to serve.

The Ranger

My
head-scratching always comes from can-sizes. <G>
------------------------------
lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-can-sizes.htm

Above site shows can sizes.
Nancree

My
head-scratching always comes from can-sizes. <G>
------------------------------
lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-can-sizes.htm

Above site shows can sizes.
Nancree

Nancree > wrote in message
...
> > My head-scratching always comes from can-sizes.
> lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-can-sizes.htm
> Above site shows can sizes.

It does indeed; thank you. Printed off a copy and put it right on
the frige.

The Ranger

Nancree > wrote in message
...
> > My head-scratching always comes from can-sizes.
> lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-can-sizes.htm
> Above site shows can sizes.

It does indeed; thank you. Printed off a copy and put it right on
the frige.

The Ranger

In article >,
babbled on about...
> Nancree > wrote in message
> ...
> > > My head-scratching always comes from can-sizes.
> > lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-can-sizes.htm
> > Above site shows can sizes.
>
> It does indeed; thank you. Printed off a copy and put it right on
> the frige.
>
> The Ranger
>
>
>
Here's one that's a little more complete and printer friendly:

http://southernfood.about.com/library/info/pcansize.htm

--
-Cornelius
Remove "NOSPAM" from email address to reply

In article >,
babbled on about...
> Nancree > wrote in message
> ...
> > > My head-scratching always comes from can-sizes.
> > lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-can-sizes.htm
> > Above site shows can sizes.
>
> It does indeed; thank you. Printed off a copy and put it right on
> the frige.
>
> The Ranger
>
>
>
Here's one that's a little more complete and printer friendly:

http://southernfood.about.com/library/info/pcansize.htm

--
-Cornelius
Remove "NOSPAM" from email address to reply

In article >,
babbled on about...
> Nancree > wrote in message
> ...
> > > My head-scratching always comes from can-sizes.
> > lancaster.unl.edu/food/ciq-can-sizes.htm
> > Above site shows can sizes.
>
> It does indeed; thank you. Printed off a copy and put it right on
> the frige.
>
> The Ranger
>
>
>
Here's one that's a little more complete and printer friendly:

http://southernfood.about.com/library/info/pcansize.htm

--
-Cornelius
Remove "NOSPAM" from email address to reply