stew

[kimmyb72]

i made a great stew but the bottom burned and it had a faint taste of burnt meat. i kept it real low on a simmer. what could i have done? stirred it more?

[ExtraMSG]

Get a heavier pan? Cook it in the oven?

By simmer, what do you mean? A simmer is actually well below a boil. I think it's technically about 180 degrees, though I'm sure someone can correct me on that.

[kimmyb72]

well it was boiling i saw bubbles. maybe that was why. it was boiling very lightly. actually the recipe called for oven or stovetop but i never did stew in the oven so i did it on top.

[bigwino]

If you see bubbles, they should be few and fairly far between. A heavier and better pot may also help with the burning as it will lessen the possibility of hotspots on the bottom of the pan. I'm very partial to my Le Creusets for stews and braises.

I often do stews in the oven. I find the heat easier to regulate and control and it gets something off the stovetop - avoiding clutter and potential accidents.

[clothier]

I agree on the oven for stews, but make sure you have a thermometer so you know how hot it really is. Oh, and move the thermometer around so you know where the hot and not so hot spots in your oven are.

[aidensnd2]

Turned it down or stirred more often....

[bloviatrix]

I make stews very often and use both the range-top or oven. The key with either cooking method is having a heavy bottomed pot. Personally, I like Le Creuset (it cleans like a dream). When starting, you want to make sure to use no more than a medium flame and make sure your pot has heated up. This helps reduce the amount of onions and such that might get stuck to the base. The liquid you add works as a good de-glazer, use a flat utensil (I have a wooden spatula) which helps scrape up any stuck on bits. For the simmer, turn the flame as low as it goes out going out. You'll see a bubble every so often. The benefit of the oven is you'll get the all around heat so you can cook at a low temperature.

[robyn]

i made a great stew but the bottom burned and it had a faint taste of burnt meat. i kept it real low on a simmer. what could i have done? stirred it more?

I suspect it was your pot. I use old magnalite pots for stews. What kind of pot did you use? Robyn

[Steve Ramsey]

Stews and other viscous foods can be quite hot on the bottom, yet not appear to be simmering on top.

Your problem definately sounds like a thin bottomed pot.

The heat was not effectively dissapated by the pot bottom, and no heat was trasferred to the sides.

For such foods, use one that is at least a quarter inch thick on the bottom.

There are several out there that have a metal disk bonded to the bottom to solve theis problem.

But the best is going to be a thick walled pot. Cast iron will work well.

[Emily Kaiser]

Was there a lot of flour in your sauce? A heavily-rouxed sauce can also burn quickly. Even when there's no flour involved, and I'm using my nicest le creuset, I get superstitious sometimes and run a heat-proof spatula along the bottom maybe every 40 minutes to make sure nothing's sticking.

Deborah Madison has a nice anecdote in Vegetarian Cooking about accidentally serving a "smoked mushroom soup" at Greens - many compliments on the smokey flavor later, she discovered she'd served burned soup! So sometimes there's a happy ending ...

Emily

[howard88]

Agree.

A thick bottomed heavier pot would be the best vehicle for stew type meals. A flame tamer would have possibly prevented the burning on the bottom of the pot.

Once you are aware of burned food on the bottom of the pan, the best thing to do is carefully ladel out the stew without disturbing all the burnt food on the bottom. This can save the day or the stew.

[lueid813]

Get a heavier pan?  Cook it in the oven?

I have always had very good results in a Crock-pot (or similar slow cooker). The heat comes from the sides as well as the bottom.

http://www.crockpot.com/