Delicious and the best Taco Stew Recipe - Oh Sweet Basil (2024)

FAQs

What makes stew taste better? ›

What can you do to make stew more flavorful? Finish it with fresh herbs, of course! Except for thyme, herbs lose their flavor as they simmer. So add dried spices at the beginning of the cooking time and fresh spices (like parsley, dill, tarragon or rosemary) at the end to add a punch of fresh flavor.

Whisk a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew as it's cooking. Don't add dry flour directly to the stew as it may clump. After adding the slurry, bring the stew to boil. This will cook out the flour taste and allow the starch to swell.

Vegetables: small chopped carrots, celery, and onion or shallot practically melt into the sauce. Mushrooms: button mushrooms are a nod to the quartered mushrooms many classic beef stew recipes call for, but are thinly sliced instead of being left in bigger pieces. Garlic: minced garlic brings lots of cozy flavor.

If you want super tender beef, you'll need to cook it on a low heat in a Dutch oven on the stove or a slow cooker for at least a few hours. Chuck meat is your best bet for beef stew, but it's also a pretty tough cut so it needs time to break down and become tender.

Not adding enough seasoning would be the second potential issue. Add plenty of pepper and some salt and it should taste better. Using beef stock or red wine is better than water for the liquid. Use just enough to cover the meat and vegetables.

Dried spices and dried herbs

'Warm' spices such as cumin, coriander and smoked paprika add real savoury flavour to sauces, stews and curries. Spices taste best when they are cooked, so add them at the beginning or during cooking, and layer the flavour by combining with fresh herbs added at the end.

Don't Rush the Stewing of the Stew

Your beef stew needs at least two hours, sometimes three, on a low burner, so the meat is tender, and the flavors mingle. This isn't a dish to rush; it's a dish to make on a lazy weekend so you can enjoy the smell as it stews.

It's important to note that cornstarch has twice the thickening power of flour.

Should beef stew be thick or soupy? ›

Even the best home cook has stared down into a simmering pot of stew and realized it looked more like soup! Sure, a bowl of soup can be comforting, but a true stew in all its glory should be rich and thick in consistency.

This gives your stew a creamier body, particular if you're using starchy vegetables like potatoes. Starches are an excellent way to thicken up your stew, as individual starch molecules start to absorb water immediately upon hitting hot liquid, eventually bursting and causing the liquid to thicken.

Culinary icon Julia Child uses tomato paste and red wine in her classic Beef Bourguignon and this hearty Irish Beef Stew uses tomato paste in addition to Guinness and red wine. The great news is that you can use tomato paste to bring a depth of flavor to just about any meaty stew or braise.

Once the meat is tender - but not falling apart, add the potatoes, celery, carrots and butternut squash. Pour over another 2 cups of beef broth and enough water to cover the vegetables. Raise heat and bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer partially covered for about 30 minutes - until the vegetables are tender.

Your onions will be fine, but mushy potatoes and carrots are a no-no. Instead, add them about 20 minutes before the end of cooking. When they're tender, the stew is done.

Personally I would add as many aromatics and flavor enhancing substances that I like. If the stew is already finished, then you can sauté onions, garlic peppers, celery and carrots then add them to the stew. I would also add some herbs and finally salt and pepper to taste.

Aim for one to three fresh sprigs, 1 tablespoon of chopped fresh leaves, or 1 teaspoon of dried leaves for about 1 to 2 pounds of beef. Other herbs, spices, and ingredients that complement rosemary and beef are parsley, sage, thyme, onion, garlic, red wine, and carrots.

Beef tastes great when seasoned with oregano, rosemary, sage, garlic or a combination of these seasonings. Poultry gets an added burst of flavor with spices like paprika, lemongrass and saffron. Fish can be made more flavorful with dry mustard powder, thyme and turmeric.