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Mats registered
Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 503 Location: Toronto, Canada
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Posted: Thu 21 Feb, 2008 12:06 pm Post subject: Alton Brown's Stew |
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Making stew seems, at first glance, as easy as falling off a log. You simply brown off some meat, add liquid, seasoning and vegetables and leave over low heat for a long time. Alton Brown has a slightly different take on this process : http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_37518,00.html
Simply put, you take a piece of meat with lots of connective tissue (collagen) , brown it and coat it with a tomato paste,vinegar and herb mixture, wrap it in aluminum foil, place it a heatproof dish and place it in the oven at exactly 250F for 4 hours. Remove the meat and cool the liquid overnight. Remove the fat cap and use a small portion of it to sear the onion, potatoes and other vegetables. Then add the liquid , cover and cook until done. Cut up the cooked meat (removing parts you cannot eat) and add at the end. Perfect stew!!!
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ejm registered
Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 353 Location: Canada
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Come to Life. Come to Laziness.
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Posted: Fri 22 Feb, 2008 2:22 am Post subject: Re: Alton Brown's Stew |
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MEF wrote: | [...] wrap it in aluminum foil, place it a heatproof dish [...] |
I wonder why it has to be wrapped in aluminum foil. Why not just put a lid on it? Or jam it into a small dish with a lid and place that in the heatproof dish.
[rant]I can't stand how much aluminum foil is whizzed out on the food network. Have they not heard about conservation?[/rant]
_________________ So... have YOU backed up your files lately? And defragged too!?
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David registered
Joined: 09 Nov 2004 Posts: 353 Location: England
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Posted: Sat 23 Feb, 2008 2:57 pm Post subject: Re: Alton Brown's Stew |
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I'm afraid to use meat with lots of connective tissue when making stew because I'm worried that I'll end up serving some pieces of veins, tendons, cartilage or ligament and I hate the look on people's faces when they realise they're chewing something rubbery. |
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Mats registered
Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 503 Location: Toronto, Canada
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Posted: Mon 25 Feb, 2008 9:48 am Post subject: Foil and tendons |
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I don't suppose that the use of aluminum foil is essential; if you can fit your meat inside a dish with a lid you could accomplish the same thing. The foil is simply easy to fashion a "dish" with a tight cover (to avoid steaming). Foil can both be reused and recycled.
As for the inedible parts (bones, tendons,etc.), they are removed before serving (next day). Both the fats and the collagen will have been broken down by the long, low heat.
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ejm registered
Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 353 Location: Canada
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Come to Life. Come to Laziness.
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Posted: Tue 26 Feb, 2008 12:48 pm Post subject: Re: Foil and tendons |
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This "connective tissue" issue gave me pause too, David. But looking more closely at the recipe, it turns out that Brown calls for short ribs...
For the recipe 'Good Eats Beef Stew', Alton Brown wrote: | [...] 3 pounds English-cut short ribs [...] [C]ut the meat away from the bone, removing the connective tissue and discarding. [...] |
Aha!! That sounds completely palatable! Even if the bones were NOT discarded....
Question: What are "English-cut" short ribs?
MEF wrote: | The foil is simply easy to fashion a "dish" with a tight cover (to avoid steaming). |
But wouldn't the meat be steaming in its own juices inside the foil? It still seems like it would be just as good to put the short ribs into a covered casserole that is just large enough for the ribs.
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Barbara registered
Joined: 13 Oct 2004 Posts: 353 Location: Eastern Canada
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Mats registered
Joined: 14 Oct 2004 Posts: 503 Location: Toronto, Canada
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Posted: Wed 27 Feb, 2008 1:14 pm Post subject: Hurrah blm |
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blm, you saved my bacon; thanks so much!
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