Guess what I just found in the very back of my freezer? A package of beef stew meat. I don't think I've ever made beef stew in my life. But for some reason, when I was pregnant with Callie, I thought I should stock-up on every kind of food imaginable. So I bought a package of beef stew meat. It's funny to think back on the things I did while "nesting!" Even today, I still have extra packages of ziplock bags, Windex, canned goods, and frozen _______ (you guess it?).As I was saying, I've never made beef stew. My mom never made beef stew. We just weren't that kind of family. So I'm going to try it, but would like to find a recipe with a little twist. I've searched on epicurious.com for some out-of-the-ordinary beef stew recipes. Here are my top contenders. Help me choose which one to make.
1. Irish Beef Stew. So I guess this is pretty much the classic recipe, but it sounds better with the word "Irish" in it. It has tomato paste and Worcestershire sauce, so that might give it a little extra kick.
2. Beef Stew with Curry and Lemongrass. I love, love, love lemongrass, but have yet to cook with it. And I do really like curry as well. However, I'm not sure about combining these things into a beef stew? This one sounds pretty different, and it's served over rice. Hmm.
3. Tuscan Beef Stew with Polenta. Sounds interesting, and I like the fact that it's served with polenta (another thing I like but have yet to make at home). It sounds like the flavor might be from the tomatoes and red wine. Can you make polenta with regular cornmeal?
4. West Indian Beef Stew. This recipe is from a restaurant in the West Indies. The interesting ingredients are dark rum and green olives, with tomatoes and a little sugar. It's also served over steamed white rice.
5. Swedish Sailor's Beef Stew. This one caught my attention because I married a Swedish boy. Sounds kind of weird though...the main ingredient is 3 cups of beer!
6. Ranchero Beef Stew. A Spanish twist with green olives and green chilis, served over rice or pasta.
7. Moroccan Beef Stew. Cinnamon, cumin, kalamata olives and garbanzo beans. Served over couscous. I've had this kind of stew before and really liked it.
Okay, so I need to make a decision. Which recipe sound I try?
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3 comments:
That's so funny, I actually have a batch of this in the crockpot today. Now that the weather's gotten a little chillier, I'm craving comfort food, and beef stew is one of my favorites! I don't actually have a recipe, but what I make it similar to the Irish Beef Stew one you posted. I just throw all that stuff in the crock pot in the morning and leave it until dinner. I add other veggies (peppers, mushrooms, whatever I have on hand). It's hard to ruin your basic beef stew. Serve it with some crusty french bread for dipping. Yum!!
I vote for number 3.
I actually bought a package of beef stew meat the other day, too (haha), and I made beef stroganoff. It was good. Cooked the beef in beef broth all day so it would get really tender. So stroganoff is another idea!
I just made beef stew today as well!! I love making it all fall and winter. I make a Waldorf Astorian version with a tomato sauce and a little tapioca in it to make it thicker. I grew up eating this recipe and love it! Enjoy trying out the recipes :)
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