How To Stew - 2
from Italian Traditional Food

The preparation of stews is important

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Preparation of stews

Here are some important tips on how to prepare both white and brown stews.

White stew. Soak meat well, preferably overnight, in plenty of cold salted water. Change the water once or twice during this process to take away any strong flavour. Then rinse and put into the pan ready for cooking; cover with fresh cold water, add salt and - for veal or rabbit - a slice of lemon to whiten meat.

Blanch by bringing slowly to the boil, then skim, drain and refresh in cold water to wash away any scum. Return to the pan and add liquid specified in the stew recipe, usually just enough to cover meat.

Veal or chicken stock, not water, should be used, because it will make a much better sauce. Chicken does not need soaking unless it is jointed raw, and a boiling fowl should be blanched. Keep the pan covered throughout the cooking.

Brown stew. The pan is very important in the making of a brown stew. Choose a thick, enamelled iron pan or flameproof casserole, so that the stew can be cooked and served in it. Failing this, brown the meat in a frying pan and transfer it to a casserole, but make the sauce or gravy in the same frying pan to avoid losing any flavour.

Cut meat (without bone) into 2-inch squares, leaving on a small amount of fat. Gristle appears only in shin or chuck steak and any white streaks may be left on. Cuts with bone should be divided into slightly larger pieces.

Heat pan or casserole well before putting in the dripping or oil. Put in meat just to cover bottom of pan, and leave enough room to turn pieces comfortably. Fry on full heat for beef (not so fierce for veal or lamb) until meat is evenly browned (about 3 minutes).

Turn each piece and brown for the same time on the other side. Do not fry for longer than 7 minutes in total

Now take out meat, keep hot and add vegetables as specified in recipe. Lower heat and allow to colour. Pour off all excess fat but for 2 tablespoons. Add flour (1 tablespoon for 1 pint of stock); use slightly less is stock is jellied. Colour flour slowly for 3 minutes, scraping it gently from bottom of pan or casserole with a metal spoon.

Now add stock (1 pint for 1 1/2 lb solid meat). It is better to add two-thirds of the given quantity first, and bring it to the boil. Replace meat. Then add remainder of stock so that it comes just below level of meat. Add specified flavouring, cover pan or casserole tightly and cook as specified in the recipe.

If pre-cooking a stew ready for eating later on, transfer to a cold container so that it cools quickly; when reheating, bring to the boil before keeping warm (the high temperature will kill any bacteria that may be present).

Best meat for stews

The following cuts are the best for stewing:

Beef: chuck or shoulder steak (cut from the blade bone); clod; sticking; skirt.

Mutton or Lamb: middle neck; double scrag or scrag; fillet end of leg.

Veal: breast; knuckle; cuts from the shoulder.

Rabbit: wild rabbit or tame (Ostend) rabbit in joints or whole.

When buying the meat, remember that when a cut contains a fair quantity of bone, as with neck or breast, you must allow a little more than for cuts that are solid meat, such as steak.

Page 1 of this article about stew can be found on the previous page.

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