Beef Stew with Chipotle Peppers
I love making this stew in the crock pot. It is ideal making it on a busy day or for Sunday supper. I have made this recipe without browning the beef on the stove top as well and it comes out delicious. But, I feel that the browning gives it a more deeper flavor. I also used chipotle peppers to flavor the stew. I love the tinge of spiciness and the robust smoked flavor it imparts.
I love making this stew in the crock pot. It is ideal making it on a busy day or for Sunday supper. I have made this recipe without browning the beef on the stove top as well and it comes out delicious. But, I feel that the browning gives it a more deeper flavor. I also used chipotle peppers to flavor the stew. I love the tinge of spiciness and the robust smoked flavor it imparts.
- Carbohydrate 3.507465 g
- Cholesterol 80.514 mg
- Fat 27.34104 g
- Fiber 0.360250000357628 g
- Protein 19.852645 g
- Saturated Fat 9.2221675 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (176g)
- Sodium 209.83225 mg
- Sugar 3.14721499964237 g
- Trans Fat 2.9312825 g
- Calories 365 calories
Step-by-step
- Cut beef in 2 inch size cubes.
- Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat a large heavy pot and add 1 TBS oil.
- Add cut up beef in batches using about 1 TBS of oil for each batch.
- You want to sear the meat and get some browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
- The browned bits have a ton of flavor.
- I usually, heat my pot on medium heat .
- But, check the heat every so often so the meat doesn't burn.
- Place beef in crock pot.
- To the browned bits in the pan, add the diced onion and shallots.
- Keep the heat on low add about 2 TBS water to help release the bits.
- ...Scraping often until all the browned bits have been released.
- Add the garlic let it cook for about 30 seconds.
- Add the wine( a Merlot would work great) and cook for about 2-3 minutes to evaporate some of the alcohol.
- Pour this over the beef in the crock pot.
- Add the water and tomato paste mixture.
- Add flour and incorporate with the beef.
- Add the chipotle and adobo sauce .
- Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hrs.
- Check after 4 hrs to see if the sauce is thickened up and the beef is tender.
- The onions should have melted into the sauce.
- This stew is great over pasta/rice as well as mashed potatoes.
Adding cold meat directly to a slow cooker without searing is the error home cooks frequently make, missing out on valuable Maillard reactions. Searing beef chuck cut into two-inch cubes over medium heat develops those crucial browned fond bits on the bottom of the pan, which then dissolve into the braising liquid. Deglazing the hot pan with two tablespoons of water lifts these caramelized sugars efficiently, while a Merlot provides enough acidity to balance the richness of the beef fat and oil.
Testing Doneness Without a Thermometer
Proteins cooked over four to five hours on high require physical inspection rather than digital probing to determine tenderness. Press a cube of beef against the side of the slow cooker using the back of a spoon. Resistance indicates the collagen has not yet fully converted to gelatin; the muscle fibers should yield and tear apart effortlessly under gentle pressure. Simultaneously, observe the sauce consistency, which should coat the back of a spoon thickly after the onions have completely broken down.
- Slow cooker alternatives include a heavy Dutch oven maintained at 300 degrees Fahrenheit in a standard oven for the same duration.
- Stir flour thoroughly into the meat beforehand to ensure the starches hydrate and gelatinize without forming lumps.
- Chop chipotle peppers finely to distribute the smoky adobo heat evenly across all eight servings.
