Tuscan Beef and Bean Stew Recipe {Crockpot, Main Course} (2024)

FAQs

How to make the perfect beef stew and the common mistakes to avoid? ›

Always sear your meat before you add the liquid and vegetables. A caramelised sear is essential to the flavour profile of a good stew, adding a rich undertone that you just won't get by throwing in the meat in its raw state. You want the stew to be slightly thickened, but not gloopy.

I almost always add some beef bouillon crystals to my stew, it helps oomph (yes, a technical term) the beefiness of the stock. Sometimes also use a few shots of worcestershire sauce or soy sauce - both will also add some oomph to the flavor.

Efficient Cooking: Using a smaller dish within the slow cooker allows for efficient and even cooking of smaller meals. No Need for Additional Appliances: Avoid the cost and space of an extra small slow cooker.

Not cooking the stew long enough.

Rush the cooking process and the beef will be tough and chewy.

It is a tough muscular meat. Longer cooking time at a lower temperature, especially in liquid can make it tender. Longer cooking time + low heat = tender meat. Pat the meat dry and brown it in the kettle you'll be using before adding the other ingredients to start the slow cooking.

Ideally, you'll use beef stock, but beef broth is fine too. Veal stock would be divine. Instant bouillon paste will add flavor and is perfectly acceptable. Indeed, even if all you have is chicken stock, it will still be better than water and won't make your beef stew taste like chicken soup.

A bit of tomato paste amps up the flavor of beef stew, giving it a richness and a punch of umami that makes the stew truly memorable.

Tomato paste adds crucial flavor and body to the stew meat when cooked with herbs, garlic and wine.

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

Can you put a Pyrex dish in a slow cooker? Yes, of course. Pyrex was developed to withstand heat and to be shatter-resistant. Even better - there are commercially available slow cooker liners that are disposable after each use.

How many people does a 2 quart crockpot feed? ›

This small slow cooker has a 2-quart capacity that feeds 2+ people and is perfect for making small meals or dips. Use the manual warm setting to keep food warm while you are serving, or for heating up leftovers.

I'd recommend something in the 5 to 6 quart range. The majority of recipes fit this size slow cooker better than anything smaller. Even if you live alone, you can always freeze the leftovers in plastic bags (Ziploc bags) or airtight plastic containers.

The addition of the vinegar adds subtle acidity that balances well with the soy sauce and the honey giving this otherwise super hearty beef stew a nice lightness to it.

Very simply put, browning equals flavor. As beef sears, the outside caramelizes, adding extra flavor to the beef, not to mention creating these tasty little browned bits that form on the bottom of the pot. Without browning, the finished stew just won't taste as good and the sauce won't be as dark.

Consider Adding Flour

Melvin also recommends dusting the meat in seasoned flour before browning it. The flour will add body to the dish and help thicken up the sauce that comes together while the ingredients cook low and slow.

The secret to tender beef stew is to keep the pot at a gentle simmer the entire time so the connective tissues in the beef have a chance to break down and soften.

Low heat is suggested for all stews, never a hard boil. Placing a lid, slightly ajar on the pot traps the escaping steam and allows it to condense and fall back onto the stew. You can also cook stews in a 350°F oven or on low in a slow cooker.

The first step to a flavorful stew is browning the meat. Searing it over high heat gives the meat a deeper, richer flavor thanks to the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction that browns and caramelizes the exterior of the meat.