In preparation for making a stew, I bought some chuck, cubed it and
browned it.
During the browning process about a cup of moisture was released such
that it looked like I was no longer browning, but simmering!
I removed the liquid and contined with the browning.
On settling, the decanted liquid did not look like grease.
In years past, I don't recall this much moisture being released.
Has anyone else noticed this and have any idea what's happening? i.e.
maybe they injected the meat with a water solution? - Mike

Michael Horowitz wrote:

> In preparation for making a stew, I bought some chuck, cubed it and
> browned it.
> During the browning process about a cup of moisture was released such
> that it looked like I was no longer browning, but simmering!
> I removed the liquid and contined with the browning.
> On settling, the decanted liquid did not look like grease.
> In years past, I don't recall this much moisture being released.
> Has anyone else noticed this and have any idea what's happening? i.e.
> maybe they injected the meat with a water solution? - Mike

If the meat came in a sealed container (not just wrapped with plastic
wrap) you can pretty much count on it's being shot up with water and
"flavors" and perhaps tenderizers. Wal-mart meats are like that with
anywhere from a low of about 5% up to 12% added by weight to
select-grade meats last time I looked. Nasty stuff. It's cheaper there
for a reason.

Pastorio

Michael Horowitz > wrote in
:

> In preparation for making a stew, I bought some chuck, cubed it and
> browned it.
> During the browning process about a cup of moisture was released such
> that it looked like I was no longer browning, but simmering!
> I removed the liquid and contined with the browning.
> On settling, the decanted liquid did not look like grease.
> In years past, I don't recall this much moisture being released.
> Has anyone else noticed this and have any idea what's happening? i.e.
> maybe they injected the meat with a water solution? - Mike
>

Overcrowding the pan causes what you saw.

--
Once during Prohibition I was forced to live for days on nothing but food
and water.
--------
FIELDS, W. C.

"Michael Horowitz" > wrote in message
...
> In preparation for making a stew, I bought some chuck, cubed it and
> browned it.
> During the browning process about a cup of moisture was released such
> that it looked like I was no longer browning, but simmering!
> I removed the liquid and contined with the browning.
> On settling, the decanted liquid did not look like grease.
> In years past, I don't recall this much moisture being released.
> Has anyone else noticed this and have any idea what's happening? i.e.
> maybe they injected the meat with a water solution? - Mike

Yes, a lot of 'discount' meat is injected with water. Another cause may be
your browning technique. Brown the meat in small batches so that the
surface area of the pan/pot isn't covered with meat. It allows the smaller
amount of water to steam off, rather than collect from the overwhelming
ratio of meat to pan surface.

Jack Brown-O

"Michael Horowitz" > wrote in message
...
> In preparation for making a stew, I bought some chuck, cubed it and
> browned it.
> During the browning process about a cup of moisture was released such
> that it looked like I was no longer browning, but simmering!
> I removed the liquid and contined with the browning.
> On settling, the decanted liquid did not look like grease.
> In years past, I don't recall this much moisture being released.
> Has anyone else noticed this and have any idea what's happening? i.e.
> maybe they injected the meat with a water solution? - Mike

I do it like this; paper towel off any excess moisture with paper towels,
use small batches of meat, brown over a high heat (you just need to brown
it, not cook it) using 1/2 EVOO and 1/2 butter (1/2 T of each). With each
batch I throw the whole mess in the pot and start over again with the next
batch.

Suzan

>
>In preparation for making a stew, I bought some chuck, cubed it and
>browned it.
>During the browning process about a cup of moisture was released such
>that it looked like I was no longer browning, but simmering!
-------------------------------------------
The "moisture" was released because you crowded the meat cubes in the pan. This
is a MUST when browning any meat. The pieces must NOT touch each other while
browning. The meat has to be browned in separate batches, so that no piece
touches any other piece. Otherwise that gooey stuff comes out and the meat
simmers instead of browns.