Certain cuts of meat are best cooked slowly to maximise their tenderness. There is good reason to slow cook meat as the process of slow cooking allows specific chemical reactions to take place.
When we cook meat at high temperatures, what can happen is that the outside of the joint turns a nice brown colour while the inside remains uncooked; which is of course dangerous as well as unappetising!
When we slow cook meat at a low temperature, what happens is that the tough collagen contained in all meat, begins to literally break down and dissolve into the liquid you may have added to the tin or pot. It is this process which makes meat literally melt in your mouth.
Good candidates for slow cooking include lamb, beef and pork…but if you’re watching your purse strings then you may want to consider making a tasty stew from cheaper cuts of meat.
Stewing steak as it is usually called costs very little to buy in your local butchers shop or the supermarket and added to a good stock and fresh vegetables you cannot get a tastier meal!
To begin to slow cook meat into a good stew, you only need a decent heavy bottomed pot suitable for using on a hob.
Place a tablespoon of oil in your pot and throw in a whole chopped onion. Allow this to cook for approximately three minutes on a low heat or until it turns opaque.
Next add your chopped stewing meat; around half to three quarters of a pound will make a stew to serve four people. Stir with a wooden spoon to combine with the onion and then add a pint of stock.
Keep the heat very low and add chopped carrots, a handful of pearly barley, sliced carrots and salt and pepper to taste. Pop the lid on the pot and allow the stew to cook on the low heat for two hours, if you need to add more liquid do so.
Once two hours has passed, add peeled potatoes to the pot and cook for a further half an hour. There you have it…you can slow cook meat with little or no fuss!
This basic stew also works well with lamb and chicken, both of which react well to slow cooking. Some tips to remember are to remove all fat from your meat before you add it to the pot, taste as you go to determine whether more salt or pepper is required. You can also add suitable herbs to your pot, rosemary and bay are good staples for your larder.
So when in doubt, slow cook meat…it’s hard to go wrong with this method and your efforts are sure to pay off.
