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  #1 (permalink)   Report Post  
Robert G
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?

About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?

Thanks
Robert G.
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Mike Pearce
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?


"Robert G" > wrote in message
om...

> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning.


You could drain the juice.

-Mike



  #3 (permalink)   Report Post  
Nancy Young
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?

Robert G wrote:
>
> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
> makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
> of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
> out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
> this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?


I wonder if you don't have your pan hot enough? Or have you put too
much oil in the pan?

nancy
  #4 (permalink)   Report Post  
Dimitri
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?


"Robert G" > wrote in message
om...
> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
> makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
> of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
> out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
> this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?
>
> Thanks
> Robert G.


There are several reasons all of which go back to the same cause - not
enough heat.

1. You are using too low a heat under the pan.
2. The pan you are using to too light weight.
3. You are over crowding the pan.
4. The meat is too juicy

Here is the problem. Every time you add food to a pan you will lower the
temperature of the entire pan. to brown meat the pan/fat should maintain at
least 350 degrees. So the solution for you is.

1. Heat the pan for a few minutes.
2 . Add some oil.
3. When the oil just begins to smoke begin adding the meat a little at a
time.
4. Keep the burner on high.
5. Yes there will be some splatter - If you want to cut down on the
splatter use a Dutch Oven.

One final point - are you dredging the meat is flour? For stew I like to do
so. I believe the fried flour adds flavor and some thickening.

Good luck

Dimitri


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Janet Bostwick
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?


"Robert G" > wrote in message
om...
> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
> makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
> of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
> out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
> this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?
>
> Thanks
> Robert G.


You are probably overcrowding the pan. You need to have a space between
each piece of meat and take your time with the browning. Remove the
browned meat and then add another batch, don't try to add more meat to the
already browned meat in the pan. It takes a lot longer but there is no way
around it.
Janet




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zxcvbob
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?

Robert G wrote:

> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
> makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
> of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
> out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
> this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?
>
> Thanks
> Robert G.



Are you buying the meat from Wal-mart? That would do it; Wal-mart meat is
tumbled in a sodium phosphate solution (they call it "enhanced") to make it
absorb a bunch of water. That water cooks out when you try to brown the meat.

Try cooking the meat in small batches over high heat, so the water can boil
away quickly before the meat stews in it.

Best regards,
Bob

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Nexis
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?


"Robert G" > wrote in message
om...
> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
> makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
> of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
> out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
> this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?
>
> Thanks
> Robert G.


Two things come to mind: Overcrowding the pan and not enough heat.
Brown the pieces in batches, not all at once. Medium high heat. Completely
brown one batch before doing another, putting the finished pieces in your
stew pot.
It's a little time consuming, but you'll be far happier with the results. If
you're using meat that is dredged in seasoned flour, which I prefer, watch
out for any bits left in the pan between batches that could burn.

kimberly


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Dave Smith
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?


Robert G wrote:

> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
> makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
> of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
> out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
> this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?


You need to brown the meat in a nice hot pan, and there has to be some
sort of fat in it. My wife is the braising specialist in this house and
makes fabulous stews. She seasons chunks of stewing beef with
Worcestershire sauce and savory, and lets it sit. She finely chops onion,=

carrots, mushrooms and celery and saut=E9s them first in olive oil and
butter in a cast iron pan. Then she removes all that, saving the fat,
tosses in the meet a bit at a time until it is browned. The meat is
removed and pan deglazed with a bit of wine. The meat vegetables are
returned to the pan along with some beef stock and it is simmered ....not=

boiled. for an hour or two.

The next step is to cool it and stick it into the fridge until the next
day. Chunks of potato and carrot are added and it is simmered for another=

our, with some frozen peas tossed in near the end.



  #14 (permalink)   Report Post  
Peter Aitken
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?

"Robert G" > wrote in message
om...
> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
> makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
> of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
> out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
> this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?
>
> Thanks
> Robert G.


1) Take the meat out of the fridge an hour or so ahead of time so it comes
to room temperature.
2) Just before browning pat it as dry as possible with paper towels.
3) Make sure the pan and oil are really hot. Heat them until you see wisps
of smoke rising from the oil.
4) Do not turn the meat too often. When you put it in, let it sit for a
couple of minutes. Turn to another side for another couple of minutes, etc
etc.
5) If you are browning cubes of meat do not add too much at once - coer
about 1/2 to 2/3 of the pan's bottom at most. Do 2 batches of needed.
6) Do not use a nonstick pan if you want the bits on the bottom for
deglazing.


--
Peter Aitken

Remove the crap from my email address before using.


  #15 (permalink)   Report Post  
 
Posts: n/a
Default Why can't I brown stew beef?

Robert G > wrote:
> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
> makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
> of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
> out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
> this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?


You're probably just not using a high enough heat and/or adding
too much meat to the pan at one time.


  #16 (permalink)   Report Post  
Nancree
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef? (THE ANSWER)

>Subject: Why can't I brown stew beef?

Your meat will not brown UNLESS you place the pieces in the pan NOT TOUCHING
each other. There must be spaces between, or else they will draw out juice, and
"stew" the meat.
When you turn each piece, be careful not to have them touch. This is such a
BASIC piece of information, and too few people know it. With a large quantity,
you must remove browned pieces, and then brown the rest.
Good luck.
Nancree
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Jimmy Tango
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?


"Robert G" > wrote in message
om...
> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
> makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
> of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
> out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
> this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?
>
> Thanks
> Robert G.


Your heat is not high enough, your pan is too small, and there is too many
pieces of meat in the pan at the same time.


  #18 (permalink)   Report Post  
NTANTIQUES
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?

>
>>Another possibility is that the meat has been injected with water

>and sodium phosphylate to cheat you into paying beef prices for salty
>water. Most of the big chains do this now.


Light bulb moment...we broke down & tried a couple of Safeway's "Ranchers
Reserve" filets a couple of weeks ago. They were edible, but nothing to rave
about. Strange thing was that after broiling to rare doneness I let them rest
for a few minutes on a platter. When I went to serve them, they were sitting
in a fairly major puddle of water - not exuded meat juices - water. Wondering
if this injection of "water and sodium phosphylate" is the basis behind
Safeway's "tender, juicy" marketing campaign...
NT

  #20 (permalink)   Report Post  
Karl
 
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Default Why can't I brown stew beef?

Robert G ), citing the Rules of Acquisition to
rec.food.cooking, says...

> About one in four times that I try to brown beef for stew the meat
> releases lots of juice and boils in the pan instead of browning. This
> makes the meat tasteless and rubbery and nothing sticks to the bottom
> of the pan for deglazing. And it's driving me crazy as I can't figure
> out what causes it or how to avoid it. Can anyone who's experienced
> this tell me what I'm doing wrong or why it's happening?
>
> Thanks
> Robert G.


Let's see. A few things come to mind...

1) Start with dry meat. Pat it dry with a towel if need be. If there's
any moisture on the surface, it'll boil and steam, and the meat surface
won't get hot enough for caramelization to occur.

2) Get the pan hot before you put the meat in it. You should be able to
hear the instant the meat touches the metal.

3) Don't crowd the meat. Give it plenty of room for any juices that
escape to drain away from the meat and evaporate. You're allowed to
brown your meat in batches.

4) Use a pan with shallow sides. Deep sides tend to trap steam and
juices, resulting in your meat being steamed, at best, boiled at worst.

Now to be fair, I've browned roasts and shanks in the Dutch oven in which
I plan to braise them, and they've browned just fine, but I make sure the
pan is almost smoking hot before putting in the meat. The first three
points are probably more important than the last one.

Good luck!

..........Karl


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