Make your stews worth the wait

Look over the selections in the meat case at your neighborhood supermarket and you're likely to see packages labeled "stew meat." If you're planning to make stew, you'll want to ignore those, because local chefs say that's not a good starting point.

"You really want to make sure you've got the right meat," said Alex Bennett, chef/partner of Cut and Taste, a local catering company.

"One of the secrets is you have good-quality products to start with," said Christopher Johns, executive chef at the South Point.

Collections of trimmings can come from any cut of meat and may include some that aren't suitable for stew. In addition, Johns said, you don't want to use meat that's too fatty or maybe getting a little long in the tooth. But that doesn't mean you're looking for prime tenderloin, either. Robert Camacho, executive chef of Honey Salt, recommends short rib or shoulder. Barnett said he likes to use chuck, which "braises really well for a long period of time, until it's really tender."

"You want meats that have a lot more flavor," said Jason Neve, culinary director of B&B Hospitality, whose Las Vegas restaurants are B&B Ristorante, B&B Burger & Beer, Carnevino and Otto Enoteca Pizzeria. "You're looking for stuff from the shoulder or leg. They're going to be a little bit tougher to begin with, but that's the whole point of stews, to break them down and tenderize them."

First, they said, you'll want to cut the meat in cubes and dust it lightly with flour, with emphasis on the "lightly." After it's coated, shake off as much flour as possible. Neve said they use Wondra; "you get that nice dusting."

Then you sear the meat. Barnett said to sear it in hot oil in a really hot pan, in order to achieve the Maillard reaction, the chemical reaction that gives browned foods superlative flavor. Neve said the searing also contributes just a little bit of a thickening agent, from the flour. Johns said it helps seal the juices in the meat.

Camacho advises doing the searing in small batches in a good-sized pot.

"You get more caramelization, more color for the meat," he said. "If you use a large batch, you're going to steam the meat; you're not going to get any of the color or flavor at all."

Once it's caramelized, he said, he removes it, lowers the heat and adds onions and garlic until they, too, are caramelized, which adds depth of flavor.

"Then I add my meat back to the pot, then I add tomatoes," he said. "If you're going to do it at home you can get a good-quality canned tomato at the supermarket. Add that to the pot. Deglaze with red wine — use a cheap bottle — and reduce it by half. People see those brown bits in the pan and they worry about it, but that's the best part; it adds flavor to your stew.

"Once that's reduced I add a good amount of stock and I let that go for about two to three hours. After 2½ hours I check the meat to make sure it's nice and tender." He adds herbs at the end.

Neve said the quality of the stock is important, too, and suggests working with your butcher (or fishmonger, in the case of seafood stews) to be sure you have enough bones or shells to make a good stock.

It's also important to cook it low and slow.

"You let the liquid simmer," Johns said. "You give it time to tenderize. Cooking's like making love; you don't want to rush it."

But a longer cooking time doesn't mean you can just start the stew and forget it.

"Braising is one of the true tests of any cook's ability," Neve said. "Anybody can throw a steak on the grill. A braise isn't something you can really temp. It's a case of letting it go until it's tender, learning that touch of probing the meat and knowing if there's a little resistance. Cook it too long, you'll pull all the moisture out and it'll get stringy."

Another common mistake, they said, is putting all of the ingredients in the pot at once.

"A lot of times the vegetables are overcooked and really mushy," Barnett said. "Add them later."

Johns, who serves prime-rib beef stew at the South Point's Primarily Prime Rib, said he likes to ensure the meat and vegetables are cut in chunks that are about the same size, for ease of eating. And he adds them in stages, starting with the harder vegetables such as frozen peas for a little color, or diced tomatoes," Johns said.

Camacho said he likes to use butternut squash, parsnips and cut-up ears of corn and adds them 30 to 45 minutes before the stew is finished.

Don't add too much stock, in order to ensure the stew isn't runny. Neve said some cuts contain natural gelatin, which may be enough to thicken the stew. If it's not, you may need to add a thickener, but use restraint.

"Another thing people tend to do wrong is they add a ton of slurry," Camacho said, referring to a mix that's usually flour and water or cornstarch and water. "I add my potatoes, and the starch from the potatoes will thicken the stew. If it's still too thin I might add a bit of slurry, but people tend to add too much, and then it turns into almost like a gravy."

Barnett said if you make the stew the day before and chill it, it'll be easier to remove excess fat, which will rise to the top and solidify.

There is an exception to the long-cooking rule, Neve said, and that's in the case of seafood stews, like those served at Otto.

"For seafood, we're not cooking anything very long," he said. "Most of it's a quick couple of minutes. We might saute it first, to get a little caramelization."

When considering a stew, don't confine yourself to the traditional beef.

"Another stew people don't always think about is ratatouille, which is vegetable stew," Johns said. "It's very simple to make at home. Nowadays, with people being more health-conscious and watching calories, we quite often have it at home."

He uses eggplant, zucchini, yellow squash, red and green bell peppers, onions and diced tomatoes, and adds a little V8 juice or tomato juice.

"A good chicken in the pot is made with the chicken cut into portions," Johns said. "Simmer it gently and add the vegetables. If you put in noodles, they'll add a little thickening."

He likes to finish it with some chopped parsley or chives for flavor and color.

"And when you're serving a stew for a meal," Johns said, "a nice loaf of rustic bread goes well with it, to sop up the juices."

PRIMARILY PRIME RIB BEEF STEW

Flour for dredging

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 1/2 pounds trimmed beef chuck, in 2-inch cubes

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium onions, cut the same size as the beef

1 tablespoon tomato paste

6 ounces red wine

8 cups cold water or beef broth (supermarket broth is good for home use)

3 bay leaves

1/4 ounce thyme

1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut the same size as the beef

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut the same size as the beef

2 celery stalks, cut the same size as the beef

1 large can whole peeled or crushed tomatoes

Small bunch of fresh parsley, chopped

Mix the flour with salt and pepper and coat the beef in this mix.

Heat the oil in a large pan and sear the beef on all sides. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook about 1 more minute. Add wine and deglaze the pan, then add water or broth, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 2½ to 3 hours, skimming the fat from the top as it is cooking.

Test the beef for tenderness and then add the potatoes and carrots. Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes and add the celery and canned tomatoes. Check the seasoning.

Serve in a large bowl, sprinkled with chopped parsley.

Serve a loaf of fresh rustic bread.

Serves 4 to 6.

— Recipe from Christopher Johns, South Point

CHICKPEA STEW

4 tablespoons olive oil (divided use)

2 skinless, boneless chicken thighs

Kosher salt

3 large garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons ground cumin

2 tablespoons tomato paste

3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

2 bay leaves

2 15-ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup chopped, drained roasted red peppers from a jar

2 tablespoons (or more) fresh lemon juice

2 cups 1-inch cubes country-style bread

3 tablespoons coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt; add to pot and cook, turning once, until browned, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Reduce heat to low and let oil cool for 1 minute; add garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant, 30-60 seconds. Add cumin, tomato paste and red pepper flakes; stir until a smooth paste forms, about 1 minute. Add reserved chicken with any accumulated juices, along with bay leaves and 4 cups water. Scrape up any browned bits. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, occasionally stirring, until chicken is tender, about 20 minutes.

Transfer chicken to a plate. Add chickpeas to pot; bring to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes. Shred chicken; add to stew. Add red peppers. Stir in remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons lemon juice; simmer for 1 minute. Season with salt and more lemon juice, if desired. Divide bread cubes among bowls. Ladle soup over. Garnish with parsley.

Serves 4.

— Recipe from Bon Appetit

MEXICAN STEW

2 pounds boneless pork shoulder roast, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups chopped white onion

1 cup chopped carrot

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped

3 (15.5-ounce) cans hominy, drained and rinsed

1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

4 cups unsalted chicken cooking stock (divided use)

2 dried ancho chilies

Fresh cilantro

Lime wedges

Sliced radishes

Saute pork in hot oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes. Place pork in a 7-quart slow cooker. Stir onion, next eight ingredients and 2 cups stock into slow cooker with pork.

Microwave remaining 2 cups stock in a microwave-safe bowl on high 3 minutes or until boiling. Add dried chilies and let stand 10 minutes. Remove and discard tops of chilies. Process broth and chilies in a blender until smooth. Stir chili mixture into pork mixture. Cover and cook on low 7 to 8 hours, or until pork is very tender.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges and radishes.

Makes 3 ½ quarts.

— Recipe from Southern Living

AFRICAN GROUND-NUT STEW WITH SOUR CREAM-CHIVE TOPPING

1 cup fat-free sour cream

1/4 cup minced fresh chives

2 teaspoons canola oil

1 1/4 cups thinly sliced yellow onion

3/4 cup chopped red bell pepper

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

4 cups (1-inch) cubed, peeled sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)

2 1/2 cups quartered small red potatoes (about 1 pound)

2 1/2 cups organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained

Combine sour cream and chives in a small bowl; cover. Refrigerate two hours.

Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion and bell pepper; saute 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds. Stir in peanuts, salt and crushed red pepper; saute 2 minutes. Add potatoes, broth and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Place 1 2/3 cups stew into each of 6 bowls; top each serving with about 2 1/2 tablespoons sour cream mixture.

Serves 6.

— Recipe from Cooking Light

Contact Heidi Knapp Rinella at Hrinella@reviewjournal.com. Find more of her stories at reviewjournal.com, and follow @HKRinella on Twitter.