Techniques: Stewing
WHETHER IT’S A PIECE OF BEEF, PORK, POULTRY OR LAMB: IF IT’S A CUT THAT NEEDS A LONG, SLOW COOK BEFORE DISSOLVING ON THE TONGUE, THEN STEWING IS THE WAY FORWARD. AND WHAT’S MORE, STEWING GIVES YOU A DELICIOUS SAUCE INTO THE BARGAIN.
How it works
No stew was ever ready in under an hour. Things like diced chuck steak, veal shanks and shoulders of lamb would be dry and tough if you fried them in the pan, but when stewed, they and other cuts of meat with long fibres and more sinewy material turn out well. After the casserole pot has been heated up to seal the meat, the temperature gets turned down and the cuts are simmered for hours. Sealing (also “browning”) the meat closes the pores, locking the meat’s juices inside it and creates aroma through the Maillard reaction. By adding liquids such as wine and stock, a flavoursome broth is created which softens the contents of the pot, melts fats and thickens up as the stewing goes on. NEFF hobs have the FlameSelect® function to make sure that the heat is just right.
Step 1
For a beef bourguignon like the one shown above, you’ll need shoulder of beef (chuck) and some bacon. Cut the beef into 4-5 cm-sized pieces and dice the bacon finger-thick. Then heat some rapeseed oil in a casserole.
Step 2
Fry off the cubes of meat on all sides on level 9 on the gas hob using FlameSelect®. You might want to add some diced root vegetables or onions at this stage.
Rediscover the real roots of cooking
The NEFF FlameSelect® function allows you to adapt the gas flame to suit your dish, not the other way round. Whether you are frying a steak, boiling pasta or stewing a joint, you can regulate the heat as easily as on an electric stove.
Step 3
Add red wine, beef stock, salt and pepper before bringing the pot to the boil. Then close the lid, turn down the gas flame to level 1 and leave the stew to simmer for 3-4 hours.
Step 4
Take the pot from the stove, leave it to rest briefly and use a piece of kitchen roll to absorb fat that has settled at the top of the liquid. Simmer at level 6 with the lid off to thicken the sauce and then serve. Baguette is the perfect accompaniment.
