[Sca-cooks] OOP - help my stews!

[Karen Lyons-McGann]

Sent from my iPod

On Nov 13, 2010, at 8:33 PM, "Kingstaste" <kingstaste at comcast.net>  
wrote:

> I think skipping the step of searing the meat is the reason you have  
> dry
> meat.  Searing keeps the juices in so that it doesn't dry out.

No it doesn't hold the juices in.  It adds lovely flavor. Bot the idea  
that it hold in juices was dis proven by Harold McGee and written up  
in 'on Food and Cooking'.


>
> Some fat would probably help out, if you make your flour paste with  
> oil,
> even cook it some into a roux (use one pan to sear the meat, then  
> cook your
> roux in the same pan, keeps all the meat flavors and doesn't create  
> more
> than one extra pan to clean).

Good advice.

Personally I find that slow cooked meat is always overdone even when  
cooked that short a time on low.  The veg and gravy might be fine but  
the meat is always fibrous and dry.  Have never understood how someone  
who works full time is supposed to get a decent meal out of it.  Back  
when I did an 8 hour workday plus lunchtime plus coomute and pick up  
kids meant I was gone from the house 11 hours.  More than time enough  
to both overcook and yet be in the dangerzone temp wise long enough to  
be risky.

Lady Bonne