whats the flour for when making beef stew?

Question

im making it in a crock pot for the first time and im also not sure whether i should use beef broth or the packet that is powder but flavored already? Help i dont have all the ingredients such as bsil and thyme or any of that just give me a simple but delicious recipe if ya have one...also dont forget to answer my 1st question...why the flour?

Answer 1

The flour is to thicken the stew. Use both the broth and the packet, and salt and pepper for seasoning, and maybe a little garlic if you have any.

Answer 2

The flour is to thicken the broth. You can use either liquid or powder but may I suggest using a beef stock or a low sodium broth, canned broth tends to be very salty. It's OK if you don't have the basil and thyme you can always substitute herbs in dishes like stews and soups, try using a bay leaf and garlic(fresh or powder) herbs are pretty interchangeable unless your trying to achieve a very distinct flavor. Just play around with it. As long as you have all the staple ingredients for beef stew you can season it to your taste.

Answer 3

To your 1st question; the flour is to roll the beef in and brown in a skillet before putting in crock-pot! This will allow for an instant gravy, so to speak! My recipe for beef stew is simple, Take stew meat put in crok-pot, 1 small onion (chopped or diced), 4/5 large potatoes ( chunked), 1 bag carrots ( cleaned & diced), Add all vegetables to stew meat in crock pot! Add 1 pkg. brown gravy mix & 1 pkg. onion soup mix, Let simmer in crock-pot most of the day or until meat is tender and vegies are done! If you like a thicker gravy in stew, take a little corn starch mix with cold water and add to your stew by stirring in a little at a time until you get the consistancey that you are looking for! Salt & pepper to taste!

Answer 4

Beef Stew Meat, cut into chunks Kitchen Bouquet, which is a natural gravy type seasoning Potatoes Onions Carrots (I like baby carrots) Flour Oil 1 can of whole kernel corn Prepare a bowl of flour, add salt, pepper, and garlic powder Season beef chunks with salt, pepper, and garlic powder In a bowl put all of the beef chunks, pour kitchen bouquet over them and toss until well coated Roll each chunck of seasoned beef in kitchen Bouquet, then roll in flour, In a skillet add about 1/2 cup of oil , heat and braise the meat chunks. Braise or sear meat just enough to seal in the flavors In a Large pot add 2 cans of whole tomatoes, 2 cans of water(use the tomatoe cans) add meat as each piece is finished searing Add quarter potatoes Add quartered onions Add Baby Carrots Cook until potatoes and carrots are done. Drain can of corn, then add to pot Taste, add additional seasoning if needed, probably won't need anything though Enjoy The Kitchen Bouquet makes a natural gravy, thats why I roll my meat in it prior to rolling in the flour You can also add this to a crock pot and cook on slow all day or for about 5 to 6 hours

Answer 5

Flour is used as a thickening agent.This is Beef Stew caribbean style.You will need beefstew,1lg onion sliced, 4garlic pods crushed,1med sweetpepper sliced,bouquet thyme, marjaram,2celery stalks, 3carrots diced,3lg patatoes diced,salt to taste, 1tbs sugar,1tbs curry powder, 2tsp paprika,2tbs ,ketchup,1 pinch powdered clove 1/2tsp white pepper.

In a heavy pot add cooking oil to coat bottom, when hot add sugar,turn down stove.Sugar will begin to carmelize and turn dark brown, when that happens add beef, onion, garlic, bouquet of thyme and marjoram, celery, carrots, patatoes, curry, paprika, clove, whitepepper.stir until all added ingredients are covered brown.Cover for 5 min.Uncover stir add boiling water to cover all ingredients maintain a low temperature.When mixture comes to a rolling boil add salt to taste and ketchup.Cover until it is completed.NB. You may add any more powdered seasonings you feel comfortable with, also the process in which I used sugar to make colouring takes time to perfect because if you allow the sugar to cook to long it may result in a very bitter colouring.

Answer 6

My grandmother always rolled her raw stew meat in flour to coat and then browned it in a skillet...don't cook it, just brown on all sides and then put in the crockpot and it will greatly improve the flavor.
I never use all those herbs because I really don't like them that well. So just add whatever you like.

Answer 7

flour puts a little thickness 2 the both.. but i don't use it in mine.. because i don't make stew, i make soup.. i don't use a crock pot, but cook it on the stove.. i do use 3 beef boulion cubes 4 taste and about a half cup of ketchup 4 color..a little of sugar helps too : ) a can or 2 of tomatoes whole.. juice and all.. 6 carrots, one onion, one potatoe,, and the last 15 mins of cooking i put in a bag of frozen peas.. taste test and see if it needs a little salt.. you can add frozen corn if you like.. i also put about 3 stalks of celery chopped in mine..

Answer 8

It thickens the broth. Without it you will have beef soup instead of beef stew.

Answer 9

Its used as a means of thickening the sauce, there are other alteratives that you could use. Such as cornflour, arrowroot, potato starch, but you add them at the end not like the flour!

Answer 10

The flour thickens the gravy. Sorry, I don't use a crock pot - I cook the old fashioned way....