Stew is not only tasty, but also a very healthy dish, since it does not use fried ingredients and fatty sauces.
At the same time, this dish cannot be called tasteless and bland as it almost always contains aromatic seasonings, vegetables and fresh greens.
For stewing, you can use meat of any kind, as long as it is low-fat. Even slightly harsh portions of the carcass will do, since, thanks to a long heat treatment, they will eventually become soft and very tasty.
Stew meat - food preparation
To extinguish the meat must be washed, separated from the bones and cut into cubes. If according to the recipe his pieces should be large enough, they can be slightly repelled. Next, the meat is best fry until light golden crust, and only then put in a saucepan or roaster for stewing. Otherwise (if you immediately begin to simmer raw meat), its color in the finished dish may not be quite appetizing.
Stew meat - preparation of dishes
To extinguish the meat, you will need a container (pan or stew pan) with thick walls and a bottom. It is great if there is a cast iron or a goose in the farm. In addition, a suitable frying pan is required for primary roasting.
Recipe 1: Potato stew with greens
Description: The recipe for this dish is very simple and at the same time original, since it involves adding to the traditional products (meat, potatoes) unusual spices - mint and cumin. The taste is spicy and bright, especially if seasonings and greens are used fresh.
Ingredients
300-400 grams of lean pork
6-7 medium sized potatoes
fresh herbs (mint, parsley, dill)
cumin seeds (about 2-2.5 tsp)
salt (to taste)
ground black pepper (to taste)
vegetable or olive oil (1-2 tables. spoons)
Method of preparation
Rinse the meat, cut into small cubes. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan or saucepan with a thick bottom, put the meat in it. Fry on medium heat until half ready. Peel potatoes, cut into cubes, put to the meat, fry for 2-3 minutes. Then add cumin in the pan, pour boiling water so that the water barely covers the food. Over medium heat, bring to a boil (under the lid), then reduce the heat to a minimum and put freshly chopped fresh greens (you can use dry or frozen, but the flavor will be slightly less intense). Stew until potatoes are cooked under a lid, serve hot, you can add a little butter.
Recipe 2: Meat Stewed in Red Currant Juice
Description: Incredibly spicy and original dish will turn out if you combine the meat with the acidic juice of red currant. The finished dish has a very rich and bright taste, which will surely become the highlight of any festive table and will not remain without attention of guests.
Ingredients
1 kg low-fat beef
3 cups red currant berries
1.5 tsp sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 tsp black pepper powder
vegetable or olive oil (to taste)
Method of preparation
Wash meat, cut into small cubes. Red currant berries are also washed, small twigs and stems can not be removed. Currants need to squeeze through a sieve, then shift the cake into a bowl, add about half a glass of water, mix and squeeze again. Heat the oil in a frying pan or stew-pan in a thick bottom and sides on high heat, then put the chopped meat into it. without diminishing the fire, fry it for about 7-10 minutes until the liquid has evaporated and it is lightly browned. Then add currant juice, sugar, pepper and salt to the meat. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer until cooked under the lid, stirring occasionally. Serve best with boiled potatoes.
Recipe 3: Meat Stewed in Beer
Description: This dish will surely be enjoyed by the representatives of the strong half of humanity, because it combines the favorite products of men: meat and beer. So the food is perfect, for example, for a bachelor party, although on an everyday table it is quite appropriate.
Ingredients
0.5-0.6 kg lean beef
3 medium onions
8-10 medium potatoes
500 ml of light beer
butter and vegetable oil (to taste)
1 bay leaf
4 sprigs of thyme
salt, white pepper (to taste)
Method of preparation
Wash beef, cut into portions, slightly repelled. Heat oil in a frying pan with high sides, put the meat there and fry until golden brown, salt and pepper to taste. Then pour beer into the pan, add thyme to the bay leaf, close the lid and simmer for 10-15 minutes over medium heat. Put sliced potatoes into a roaster or other similar container, put a layer of meat stewed in beer on top, then onion sliced with thin rings, pre-fried to golden brown, and another layer of potato on top. All this pour beer, in which the meat was stewed before, cover and simmer on low heat for about 1 hour.
Recipe 4: Stewed Meat with Prunes and Honey
Description: This dish will appeal to lovers of unusual combinations in cooking, because it has a sweetish taste of honey. Fans of oriental cuisine can complement the recipe with your favorite seasonings and spices.
Ingredients
800 g pork or beef
1 onion
150 g pitted prunes
100 g of honey
1 table. spoon of tomato paste
vegetable oil, salt, pepper (to taste)
Method of preparation
Wash the meat, cut into small pieces, lightly fry in a pan with the addition of vegetable oil. Onion cut into rings, and fry until golden brown separately from the meat. Then put onion and roasted meat in a quenching container with a thick bottom and walls, add tomato paste and prunes. Simmer on low heat until cooked meat. When it is almost ready, add honey, salt and pepper to taste in a container.
Stews - tips from experienced chefs
1. If the meat is dryish or you overdo it with roasting, you can add a little water to the container while stewing.
2. It is best to cut the meat in a semi-frozen form, since in this case it is cut much easier.
