BEEF STEW - How do you make yours?

[whirlcool]

You won't believe the number of people who are scared of pressure cookers. Most of them heard stories way back from the thirties or forties about how they can explode.

And you are correct. Modern pressure cookers are all about safety. The way the lids are designed, the pressure helps keep the lid engaged to the bottom. The only way you are going to open a hot one is if all the pressure has been released.

I actually know a few people (my nutty sister included) that think a pressure cooker can actually blow up while sitting on a shelf in one of the kitchen cabinets. You often hear these people say "I wouldn't have one of those dangerous things in my house!"

If only they knew what they were missing!

 

[frigilux]

I use a slow-cooker (Crock-Pot®) or the oven. I'm particularly fond of the recipe from Cook's Illustrated.

While I haven't used my pressure cooker for years, I don't worry about it exploding any more than I do, oh, say, the gas water heater sitting in my attached garage; or the 15 year-old car sitting about 10 feet from it.

 

[toggleswitch2]

~You can even put your pressure cooker under a running faucet to reduce the pressure quickly prior to adding your vegetables and returning to stove/pressure, for the veggies.

I though I had heard that a quick cool-down pulls the juices out of the roast.

 

[butch-innj]

Relieving the pressure - ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I use the pointed end of a chop stick and push the pressure
thing down....its alot faster than running it under cold water.
I just stand back a little when I do it or I end up with steamed up glasses !

Works for me.

 

[mixguy]

Rapid Cool Down of Meats

I never quickly reduce pressure when pressure cooking a roast or other large cut of meat especially eye of round or round steak. True the sudden release of pressure the heating a pressurizing again would make some meats less juicy. Recipes in those situations have direction to "allow pressure to drop of its own accord," once the heat source is turned off.

 

[whitekingd]

Never the same way twice!!

But I love to make mine in my Presto Meat-Master pressure cooker!!

 

[xraytech]

As much as I love my electric pressure cooker I got for Christmas, I do not make beef stew in it,
I like to use my 8 qt Farberware pot for stew.
I start by flouring 2 lbs of stew meat in flour seasoned with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
then I brown the meat in bacon drippins ( I still have a big drippins jar in the fridge and I brown or fry most things in bacon grease)
Then I add water and beef boullion cubes and some burgandy wine, also add about 3-4 tablespoons of Hungarian paprika and cover and let simmer for 45 min or so. Then I add chunks of carrots(never baby carrots), chunks of potatoes and 1 can of green peas juice included and more seasonings if needed. Then I cover and let simmer slowly for another 1 hour. Then I add 2 large onions cut in wedges and let simmer for another hour. After all the vegetables are tender and the broth is thickened I usually mix 2 tablespoons of cornstarch and 1/4 cup water and pour into the stew and bring to a boil to thicken it up, I like a very thick, stew usually thicker than a gravy.
After it is thickened to my liking it is ready to serve.

I ALWAYS serve beef stew over home made buttered egg noodles

 

[norgeway]

We pressure here in the south honey.

Take one good old wood handle model 40 Presto,put on 1959 Caloric range,get good and hot,add some bacon grease ,olive oil for the health nuts,brown beef well,add a beef bouillon cube ,water to cover a clove or 2 of garlic and a sprig of rosemary, put on lid ,use high heat until 15 lbs is reached,cook about 45 min set off heat let pressure drop naturaly, I usually serve with mashed potatoes and green beans and some homade biscuits,,If you want veggies ,take off after 30 min,add pressure for 10 more min,cool quickly I am southern,so I like veggies done