Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Yet Another Fine Mess...

...and I was ever so grateful. I'm fine with messes like this. A lot of peeling going on here of potatoes, onions and

carrots. Of course that is followed with a lot of chopping and luckily for me
the mild, sweet onion didn't bring me to my knees in tears.






I bought so much stew meat that I actually had to brown it in 4 separate batches. You don't want to crowd your meat or it will not brown well. If you get a really good browning the broth/sauce will be brown and rich. I also coat my meat in flour and seasoning salt well before browning in canola oil and that adds to the thickness. I also leave the potatoes in large chunks so they can cook down adding to the thickness of the sauce/gravy.

Now you see why I had to make all that mess. It was my new cast iron, 6 quart dutch ovens maiden voyage.
I have been a huge fan of dutch ovens my whole life. They make everything better. Long, slow cooking turn a "roast anything" into fork tender wonderfulness.
Braising or stewing is supreme in a dutch oven.

I will admit that I would have liked one that was more "fashionable", maybe with a classy brand name and cute color but my practical side said this was an excellent quality, right size, didn't want one any smaller, price was right at $49.00 and the return policy at Cost*co can't be beat if I wasn't in love with it. It was also very, very important to me that I can cook with it on the stove top or in the oven. This lid handle/knob is oven proof to 500*. That'll do (pig).

This stew slow cooked 3+ hours on Saturday evening then after cooling an hour off heat I refrigerated it overnight then reheated slowly until bubbly just before
Sunday dinner.
I love Sunday dinner and family.
That's a hard combo to beat!
Photo below is just when it's starting it initial cooking.

And when a 12 year old grand isn't too cool to make biscuits from scratch with his Grammy, and a younger sister/grand tries her hand too (picture prior to baking) ...well that's a memory maker.
Sorry there are not "after" photos. Once it all hit the table it was devoured...with lots of butter and freeze strawberry jam for the biscuits.
Happy day, msk

4 comments:

sylvia said...

That looks soooo yummy.

nlybbs said...

Yum! That is a great deal on your pot! I might have to copy you! :O) What great memories with the grandkids! I think I need your stew recipe....

Mandy said...

Yum!!! You are making me hungry now. I still need to figure out what to make and how to use mine from Christmas (dutch oven)

the conleys said...

oh my goodness that stew looks amazing... what I would give for a bowl of that right now!

Tessa looks darling, as usual, and Jake looks so handsome!! I'm loving the short haircut.

xoxo

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