Hearty Bowls of Stew to Warm your Heart

Casual Comfort from the Kitchen.

Making stew is a comfort in and of itself. Taking a little time with yourself to cut up your veggies and potatoes is a quiet pleasure. I slow cook the meat in the oven on a rack.  Just underneath is a celery tops and carrots water steam bath to infuse the meat. (covered tightly with foil) I check the water level every so often to make sure it's still enough to keep steaming. It cooks for a couple of hours and then I let it rest. Next, I cut the meat up into bite size cubes and flour them before I brown-sear the pieces. Once that's

complete, I toss everything in the pot with a stew broth base and let it cook for a good long time. I like to keep the veggie and potatoes on the firm side, so I do some that will cook with the stew and then add the rest toward the end to keep some crisp brightness.

For extra flavor I cut all the scrap off the cooked roast and simmer and sear the pieces for the juices and fond. If you like a thicker stew broth, mix some flour and water in a separate pan until it's a nice and smooth consistency and then add it into your stew.