Why does my beef stew always have chewy meat?

Answer 1

When making stew always remember if it boils it spoils. A stew should be cooked on a low heat for a long time.

Answer 2

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Answer 3

The best way to make a stew is to fry the meat first until it is caramlised on the edges. This will give the stew more colour and also help to retain some flavour in the meat while cooking in the stew.

use a good quality meat and make sure you cook it for a while in the stew...at a slow speed. Just simmering.

Answer 4

As well as the other suggestions like longer cooking and better quality meat, remove as much gristle and connective tissue (the very thin silvery skin) before you start cooking. A stew really does need a long cooking time - my granny used to put hers on the black range in a large stew pot, first thing in the morning and let it simmer very gently till the evening. A slow cooker is a good substitute (make sure you get both up to cooking temperature first) - I use one when I am boating.

Answer 5

I buy the lean stew meat prepackaged at the butcher section in the grocery store. Pour some flour in a big freezer bag. Sprinkle flour with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place meat inside bag with flour mixture and shake, making sure each piece is coated. I then heat some oil in a skillet and place meat in to fry lightly. This seals the meat's juices and flavors. I then place stew meat in a dutch oven type pan with water, sliced onions and beef bouillon soup or cubes and simmer for about 2 hours.

Then you can add your vegetables and simmer until veggies are tender.

Answer 6

Buy better meat. The stewing beef is sometimes very suspect. Cook at a low temp for a long time. We are talking hours not minutes. I cook mine sometimes for 3 0r 4 hours. Shin of beef is good and so his rump steak. Pork from the leg is another good one and of course do the same with chicken. For chicken cut into pieces but leave the bone in and it cooks really tender.

Answer 7

Cooking meat does a number of different things. One is to turn sinew into gelatine, but that involves keeping it at cooking temperature for a long time.

If you want to make your stew using stewing steak, first coat the pieces of steak in flour and fry them on each side. Now put them in the stock and cook them for at least an hour. Then add the other ingredients.

If you're short of time, you could use rump steak (expensive) or get a pressure cooker.

Answer 8

I never thought I would see the day I could help someone with a cooking question but at last I can !!

Buy one of those slow cookers - they are very cheap and meat always turns out tender, pretty much no matter what you put in. Things cook for hours in it, so you switch it on when you leave for the day and the meal is done when you get back home after work. Brilliant and as I say cheap too - I got mine in Macro for about 20 quid

Answer 9

The beef needs to cook for longer. When I make beef and Guinness I cook it for at least 2 hours (sometimes more) on about 170. The meat is always lovely and tender.

Answer 10

not cooked long enough? wrong meat?

i buy stewing steak put it on for about 3hrs on a v low heat and it always melts in the mouth

stewing beef i leave for about 4hrs same again v. low heat

always make sure yr meat is almost cooked before you add the veg