#beef-stew

#beef-stew

A beef stew is one of those amazing dishes that delivers layers and layers of flavor while relying on a fairly basic set of ingredients: onions and garlic, carrots and potatoes, beef and wine, salt and pepper - you probably wouldn't even have to make a shopping run! In fact, the most demanding ingredient when it comes to cooking a stew is patience: our old-fashioned beef stew sits on the flame for two and a half hours.

An old-fashioned beef stew recipe starts with browning bacon and beef, which leaves a layer of meaty remnants at the bottom of the stew pan. We spoke with Matthew Ryle, chef and author of "French Classics: Easy and Elevated Dishes to Cook at Home," about his best tips for this cold weather dish. Ryle advises us to use that layer of caramelized meat stuck to the bottom of your pan to your advantage - and that means always deglazing the pan!

With soups and stews, it may seem like you can just throw all of your ingredients into a pot, cover them with some water, and start simmering away. However, if you do, it's likely to result in a stew that's much less flavorful than it would be if you were to take a few extra steps. One of the most important steps you shouldn't skip when trying to make a deeply delicious beef stew? Browning the beef.

Preparing an old-fashioned beef stew recipe is simple and fulfilling, offering opportunities to include unique ingredients to amplify the flavor. That's exactly what Tasting Table chatted about with chef Ayo Balogun of Dept of Culture Brooklyn at the New York City Wine & Food Fest, where he hosted a tasting menu from North Central Nigeria. Balogun shared his expert advice along with one of the pantry staple ingredient he leans on to make a memorable beef stew: Nigerian fish powder.