Should I add flour to thicken my beef stew???

Answer 1

If it is already made and all the ingredients are simmering, it is better to use cornstarch that has been dissolved in a little water. You can't add flour to an already hot liquid (unless it's just grease or butter) without it getting lumpy. However, if you are browning your stew meat and have not added the broth and other ingredients, then you CAN add flour to the meat (as long as there is some grease) and brown the flour a bit. Then add your broth and other ingredients. Good luck.

Answer 2

I think so.

If your stew is already hot, mix the flour with some water in a little jar and shake it up before you pour it in, so you don't get lumps.

If you want to add the flour at the beginning, I like to coat the beef cubes with it before they go in the pot.

Enjoy your stew!

Answer 3

You can add flour to thicken soups but you need to mix it with hot water and use a whisk when adding it slowly to the stew cornstarch works better as a thickener.

Answer 4

Yes. Mix flour and water together then add it slowly to the stew. It should thicken to the desired consistency you want.

Answer 5

usually i flour and brown the stew meat before adding it to the veg and broth, but if you add flour after the fact you might want to mix it with a little butter, make a paste and then whisk it in, this will prevent lumps and thicken.

Answer 6

Flour or cornstarch. Mix it with some cold water first. ( If you don't it will lump up on you). Use about two tea spoons to a 1/2 cup of water. Then let it cook in the crock pot on high about 20 mins. I'm making some beef stew also, as I write this... lol. I didn't use my crock pot, dutch oven for me. MMMMMMM!!!

Answer 7

Everybody keeps speaking of lumps from adding flour to the stew...

I learned a trick from Alton Brown of the Food Network....

Add a couple dashes of salt to your flour before adding any liquid to it.... it will prevent any lumps from forming. It actually works! I tried it this past thanksgiving for the gravy.... I had no lumps!

I wish you luck in making a nice smooth gravy for your stew.

Answer 8

something better than flour to thicken beef stew is corn starch dissloved in cold water. You won't get lumps in the sauce.. take one cup cold water and stir in about 3 tablespoons of corn starch of however much you think is needed. drizzle slowly into the juices of your stew and stir until thoroughly mixed. Works everytime for me. good luck.

Answer 9

you can, but be sure to mix the flour with a little water and whisk well. then pour in a little at a time to your stew, whisking constantly until blended so you don't get floury lumps in your stew. it also helps if you mix the flour and water in a seperate cup with a little of the hot broth to even out the temperature differential. but, yeah, it does work.

Answer 10

you can add flour, but cook it first in some stew liquid in a separate sauce pan till it is thoroughly cooked and no lumps. If you dump raw flour into your stew, you'll end up with lumpy thin stew that tastes floury...