What's the difference between a stew and a casserole? (this is a question not a joke!!)?

Question

Is it simply that you tend to put a casserole in the oven and cook a stew on the hob? I'm confused!

Answer 1

many years ago when we had open fire places a pan was hung over the fire and in it went the bones from the sunday dinner water and a few veg this would cook all day monday, or shall we say stew all day then have that monday night, tuesday a few more veg was added and stewed in the juice from the day before adding a bit more wster etc and so on until thursday. but the casserolle was to be put in the oven once, cooked and eaten on the same day. shall we say years ago the rich had the casserole and the less well off people had the stew. I hope this will explain a little about the difference.

Answer 2

Yes.you are right that is the basic difference,stove top for stews & oven slow cooking for casseroles,usually browned meat ,along with cut vegetables & sufficient liquid go into a 'casserole', an oven proof cooking utensil with a well fitting lid,here it all cooks togteher over a long period of time,till meat is done & flavours are wonderfully blended, a stew is always cooked on the hob,relatively less time but basically same ingredients,being stove top you would occasionally have to take a peek & stir,both dishes can do with a
thickening agent .Flvours blend very well in any slow cooked dish,a casserole is ideal when left to cook on it's own,while you are away for a while.

Answer 3

I think you are basically right. A casserole is cooked in the oven in a casserole dish, and a stew on the hob in a stew pan (saucepan). If there is any difference it is probably the amount of liquid - more in a stew.

Answer 4

When cooking a stew is cooked in a pot and a casserole is cooked in a cassterole dish. They probably both have a random consistency, but stew is cooked on the hob, almost like a soup, while a casserole is cooked in an oven, stew is liquid casserole has a pastery base to hold it all togeather.

Answer 5

A stew is like a really thick soup, with chunks of meat, vegetables, a thick broth, etc. A casserole is something completely different. Usually there's very little sauce with a casserole (unlike a stew, which has the ingredients swimming in a thick broth) and has all your food groups (meat, vegetables, starch) cooked in one dish. It's baked in the oven whereas stews are cooked on the stove top or (sometimes) in a slow cooker.

Answer 6

Hi there, your right in thinking that a Stew is done on the hob and a casserole is done in the oven, hope this helps .

Answer 7

A casserole is actually a type of cooking vessel, generally earthenware or glass, usually with a cover. We call food cooked in one a casserole as well. It generally relates to food that is slow cooked in the oven.

To stew is to slowly boil or simmer on a low-med heat - so generally this is done on the hob. The word is dervied from old English 'stuwen' apparently, which means something like 'sweat bath'. Nice!

So your assumption was pretty much correct.

Answer 8

A stew needs a lot more cooking than a casserole and generally has more vegetables than the casserole.

Answer 9

I think they are different stew you use a tougher meat an older veg an it needs to stew on the stove for a good couple of hours,, casserole you use better meat an nicer veg so it does not take as long an you use the oven because it quicker

Answer 10

CASSEROLE is a type of cook ware that people tend to call what they cook in it by the name of casserole. Stews are cooked in pots on top of the stove. I cook my beef stew in a rosating pan in the oven, so I guess that could be called a casserole.