What to do with stew meat... besides stew
I have a little over a pound of stew meat in my freezer. I just made stew, so I don't want to do that again. Any ideas what I can do with it? Recipes would be great, crock pot or not.
Or, can it just be used like regular meat? My mom said that it would probably be too tough for that, but I figured I'd ask here too.
Thanks!
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16 Comments:
Texas style chili! My husband and boys all prefer chili made with cubes of beef rather than ground beef. Sometimes they fold the leftovers into a tortilla for a snack.
dhorst at 7:11PM on 12/13/08
If you marinate it well in an acidic medium (lemon juice, vinegar, etc.) to break down collagen, and even jaccard it if need be (you can just use a fork that has long thin tines), you can treat it like regular meat. It will be very tender. You could cut it into cubes to do broiled skewers for example, with veggies, or with shrimp and mushrooms for a surf and turf... If, while still frozen, you cut cut it into paper thin slices (you would need a very sharp knife) before marinating, you could do a carpaccio or you could fry it up with some white onion and provolone for cheese steak...... Grind it up with some pork shoulder and pancetta and make a bolognese. Lots of options.
simon at 7:24PM on 12/13/08
Grinding it is definitely an option (can use a food processor). Otherwise, you can consider wrapping it in foil with some seasonings and a smidge of liquid, then slowly cook it in the oven. If you use some onion and spices like cumin, plus garlic or garlic powder, you could then shred the meat for tacos. With different seasonings, you could still shred the meat for various sandwiches of your choice.
You could also do the above method and then grill it quickly on skewers. I wouldn't grill it straight out because the meat may be too tough and chewy and full of connective tissue that needs to cook out low and slow.
Easiest might be to put it into the crock pot with some barbecue sauce, then chop and serve with buns, onion, and pickle like a Tx-style chopped beef sandwich.
renzata at 7:33PM on 12/13/08
My mother used to make what she called "chop suey" with beef stew or hunks of pork meat. Treat the meat like a stew, but cook it with soy sauce and some five-spice powder. Then mom would add cans of chop suey vegetables, canned bean sprouts, canned water chestnuts, canned mushrooms and canned bamboo shoots. Lotsa cans being opened. In later years, she discovered frozen snow peas and those went in as well. The dish was always served over rice.
I still make something like it, but with fewer cans and more fresh and frozen veggies. However, I still used the canned water chestnuts and the canned bamboo shoots. Not like I could find those anywhere around here in any other form.
dbcurrie at 9:23PM on 12/13/08
Chile Colorado. Simmer the meat really slow at a very low temp. serve it with totillas, black beans or refried beans and rice
pjracz10 at 9:41PM on 12/13/08
I treat it like regular gravy meat and add it to my Sunday gravy with meatballs and sausage. I also do the same with chunks of boneless country rib meat (the best kept secret in pork).
therealchiffonade at 9:41PM on 12/13/08
i would second renzatas grinding recomendation. then make sloppy joes, taco meat (picadillo,) meatballs etc.
coolname at 11:18PM on 12/13/08
You could always do a beef bourguignon. The long cooking time will get it to not be so tough.
Quick recipe: coat beef in flour. fry up some bacon in a large saucepan. add steak, minced shallot, sliced onions and fry up. Splash in some cognac and flame on! Toss in 2 cups red wine and some stock. Salt and pepper the mixture, toss in some rosemary and thyme. Cover and simmer for 2 hours. Thicken at the very end with a paste made of flour and butter (beurre manie)
phenosteve at 1:32AM on 12/14/08
I make beef soup with macaroni in it. Also beef goulash, beef stroganoff, you can add it to your pasta sauce for a long braise.
JerzeeTomato at 2:02AM on 12/14/08
Slice it into thin enough slivers and marinate well for a stir fry.
Nursie at 3:03AM on 12/14/08
I second a vote for beef stroganoff.
phenosteve at 3:14AM on 12/14/08
you could do a number of these recommendations in a crock pot, since low and slow cooking does a number on tough cuts of meat.
joyyy at 3:41PM on 12/14/08
I second the vote for stir-fry.
Robbo at 7:11PM on 12/14/08
Another factor to keep in mind if you bought "stew meat" is that it could be any number of different cuts of varying leanness (ie., scraps from the butchering process). Stroganoff sounds good to me, but not sure how far your definition of "stew" stretches.
The stir-fry idea would work well if you are able to slice it quite thinly. I've made beef and broccoli with various cuts of beef and always been pleased.
renzata at 7:45PM on 12/14/08
Beef Rendang! Or a pot pie?
francie at 10:52PM on 12/14/08
I use mine to make vegetable beef barley soup. Awesome. Also, after making a roast, I freeze any leftover gravy and use it in my soups to add an extra layer of flavor.
Josdean at 10:40PM on 12/15/08