Accidentally bought lean stewing beef

acpgee

I accidentally bought lean stewing beef. I never get good results stewing this because it stays tough and gnarly. Any ideas on how to use this ingredient?

I was maybe thinking of dutch split pea soup instead of the pork the recipe calls for because it cooks long and slow.

https://www.thespruceeats.com/traditional-dutch-split-pea-soup-1129011

Other ideas welcome, as well as tips on how to cook a cut like this. Or should I just try to find a dog owner among my acquaintances.

lx1x

Pressure cook it.. it'll soften up.

acpgee

Unfortunately I don't own a pressure cooker, instant pot or slow cooker.

earlnabby

acpgee wrote: »

Unfortunately I don't own a pressure cooker, instant pot or slow cooker.

Do you have a casserole/dutch oven or other oven safe covered dish? Turn your regular oven into a slow cooker. Use any slow cooker recipe and proceed as normal. The oven equivalent of low is 200° and high is 300°

Here is my Irish Beef Stew in keeping with the season. You can substitute potatoes for the turnips if you want. Just throw everything together and cook on low about 8 hours

1 lb(s), Carrots - Raw, sliced
1 cup, chopped, Onions - Raw, chopped
2.00 cloves, Garlic - Raw, minced
2 cup(s), Beef Broth
1 container (10 tbsp ea.), Tomato Paste
11.20 fl oz Guinness Stout (330 mL), Draught Bottle 330ml (11.2 oz)
0.60 kg(s), Turnips - Raw, cut into chunks
21 oz, Beef Stew meat

If the juices need thickening at the end, mix and stir in:
1 tbsp(s), Water
1 tbsp(s), Cornstarch

acpgee

Wow. Eight hours. Does not searing the meat first aid softening too?

DX2JX2

acpgee wrote: »

Wow. Eight hours. Does not searing the meat first aid softening too?

Nope - the only way to tenderize stewing cuts is to give them a long cook in a slow oven/smoker or a shorter cook in a pressure cooker. Unlike any other cuts, stewing cuts will stay tough and rubbery until they've cooked long enough to breakdown all of the collagen and connective tissue. Searing only aids in flavor development.

8-10 hours in a slow cooker on low should do the trick. Alternatively, 3 hours or so at 300F-325F in the oven should also work (as would about an hour on high pressure in a pressure cooker). Let it cook until it gets soft.

acpgee

crazyravr wrote: »

acpgee wrote: »

Unfortunately I don't own a pressure cooker, instant pot or slow cooker.

Slow long braise. Just like you do with lamb. Make a beef randang.

For beef rendang I prefer a well marbled cut, actually.

cheryldumais

I brown it then I make beef barley soup with it. Leave it simmering for several hours. Once it's soft enough I cut it into smaller pieces for the soup. I usually get about 6 to 8 servings depending on the amount of beef and consommé I use.

kodiakke

I love stew beef, you just need the time to break it down. I agree that the IP is worth the money for what it does to those cuts. It's become one of the most-used tools in my kitchen. But in the meantime, an oven-safe pot, casserole dish, or Dutch oven is the way to go.

lynn_glenmont

Long, slow, in liquid.

acpgee

I've had the beef and guiness stew on for about 4 hours now with liquid measuring at a temperature of 93C. Hoping it will be edible in 2 hours.

NewMeSM75

crazyravr wrote: »

acpgee wrote: »

Unfortunately I don't own a pressure cooker, instant pot or slow cooker.

Also wanted to add.... the IP is WELL worth its money.

Yes! Totally agree!

pacsnc6

I cook stewing beef in a barbecue sauce on low heat for about an hour. Usually comes out very tender. I brown the meat with a little onion then add the barbecue sauce, turn to low heat, and let it cook.

acpgee

Thanks everyone. I usually have better success with marbled stewing beef, but this was the first time I got a decent result with lean stewing beef. Though I do think that marbled stewing beef is more flavourful.

I am too cheap to have the oven on for 6 hours and cooked the beef and guiness stew on top of the stove keeping the temperature of the braising liquid at a steady 93 degrees celsius which is about the same as the low setting of a slow cooker. This is the most careful temperature monitoring I've done and I think that made a difference.

Theo166

If it's tough, you probably aren't cooking it long enough.
Go low and slow, like all day in the slow cooker.
It also helps is you slice up the stewing beef into smaller cubes.

aokoye

I'm four days late, but this recipe for Austrian goulash is really good. I typically use beef chuck when I make it.