Slow-cooking has long been a thrifty cook's secret, transforming tough cuts of meat into tender, flavourful dishes. Yet Britain has often overlooked its own stew recipes in favour of French daubes or Italian osso bucco, partly due to the word 'stew' evoking school dinners and resentment. However, a well-made beef stew deserves a place at any table, even for guests.
Most recipes begin by browning the meat in fat—dripping, butter or oil—along with vegetables like carrots and onions. The mixture is then covered with liquid and cooked gently until tender. Thickening with flour, barley or dumplings is optional. The choice of cut is crucial: while stewing steak from the top shoulder is common, shin of beef offers superior results. Delia Smith advocates for shin, noting that its connective tissue melts during cooking, adding richness and a silky texture. Tests confirm that shin yields a more gelatinous, unctuous gravy than standard stewing steak.
Jane Grigson's English Cookery includes a shin stew from Francatelli's 1852 Plain Cookery Book for the Working Classes. The method is simple: cut beef into egg-sized pieces, brown in dripping, add a large handful of flour, carrots, onions, seasoning and water, then stir until boiling. Simmer gently for about an hour and a half. While plain, it produces a decent dinner, though the gravy can be bland. Grigson suggests stock or red wine as improvements.
For a richer result, browning the meat in batches and using a mix of butter and oil prevents burning. Adding tomato purée and red wine deepens the flavour, while fresh herbs like thyme and bay leaf enhance the aroma. Cooking slowly at a low temperature ensures the meat becomes tender without drying out.
