A hearty beef stew is both a tasty and affordable dinner option. Stews come under the umbrella of slow cooked beef dishes and as such any beef cut that shines in slow cooking will work well. This is the time to use a cheaper cut as while they are tougher, they turn into melt-in-your-mouth pieces of beef once cooked over a longer period of time.
Collagen is the key
When choosing a cut of beef for your stew recipe, you want to look for collagen-rich beef, which comes from the harder working parts of the animal. Stronger muscles may have less fat but they have high levels of connective tissue, which results in the collagen.
It is easy to fall into the trap that tender is always better, but when cooked over an extended period of time, the fat in tender cuts will melt away too quickly, turning the meat firm and chewy.
Collagen is tough when raw, but the cooking process and the combination of time, low heat and fluid will break down the connective tissues, including the protein collagen, which would otherwise make the meat tough when cooked quickly. The collagen will then melt into gelatin, which is what gives you a moist and tender piece of meat. Added bonus: this gelatin not only releases into the meat itself, but seeps into the sauce, giving it a deep flavour and body.
Go for the chuck
The most common beef used for stew is chuck steak, also known as gravy beef or braising steak.
Beef chuck comes from the forequarter of the animal consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder blade and upper arm. It is easy to find and it’s affordable, making it a great choice for your stew. Chuck has high levels of connective tissue and as such will become moist as it releases high levels of gelatin. In addition to the connective tissue, it has a good amount of marbling and low external fat.
How to cook a beef stew
When cooking your stew it’s important to brown and caramelise the meat first. This will create added depth and flavour to the whole stew. You’ll want to brown the beef and then make the stew in the same pan, without cleaning it.
When browning the beef, sear in batches and don’t overcrowd the pan. This technique will give each piece enough space to perfectly caramelise and you won’t accidentally steam the meat.
Once you’ve added all of your ingredients, you’ll want to simmer the stew at a low heat for two to three hours. Give it a taste-test at the two-hour mark and if the meat isn’t tender enough just extend the cook time until the meat is falling apart. If you’re bulking up the dish with vegetables, we recommend saving them to add towards the end of the cook so they don’t get overly soft.
To make a healthier stew you can skim the fat off the top before serving, or if you’ve made a batch in advance wait until the stew cools in the fridge, which will cause the fat on the top to harden, making it much easier to get off.
FAQs
Next time you're shopping for stew beef, look at your options and see what cuts of meat will work best for your recipe. For example, chuck is a lean and tender cut of beef that works well in stew. However, if you would prefer a thicker and more flavorful stew, short ribs or oxtail may be better choices for you.
What is the secret to tender beef stew? ›
If you want super tender beef, you'll need to cook it on a low heat in a Dutch oven on the stove or a slow cooker for at least a few hours. Chuck meat is your best bet for beef stew, but it's also a pretty tough cut so it needs time to break down and become tender.
What cut of beef is best for slow cooking? ›
Here are the very best beef cuts to keep on hand to slow cook:
- Chuck steak.
- Round steak.
- Blade steak.
- Topside.
- Silverside.
- Skirt steak.
- Shin (gravy) beef.
- Sausages.
The most tender of all cuts of beef, tenderloin steaks are lean and known for their delicate, butter-like texture and thick cut. These mouthwatering steaks are so tender they can be “cut with a butter knife.” Tenderloin steaks are commonly known as filets or filet mignon.
What is the choice beef for stew? ›
“Beef chuck is best for stew,” said Arjuna Bull, chef/partner of Luthun in New York City. “It has some fat but not too much, and it also has a good ratio of meat and fat. Beef chuck often has the most consistent meat-to-fat ratio [of beef cuts in general], making it a good, safe choice [for beef stew].”
What is best cut of beef for slow cooked stew? ›
Go for the chuck
The most common beef used for stew is chuck steak, also known as gravy beef or braising steak. Beef chuck comes from the forequarter of the animal consisting of parts of the neck, shoulder blade and upper arm.
What is a good substitute for chuck steak? ›
Chuck Roast Substitutes:Sometimes, chuck roast is labeled as blade roast, 7-bone roast or arm roast. If you can't find any of options, try another uniformly-shaped, lean cut of beef like tri-tip roast, top round roast or bottom round roast (sometimes called rump roast).
What is the cheapest cut of beef for stew? ›
The best (and least expensive) beef stew meat comes from the front shoulder, also known as the chuck. The rear muscle (also called the round) would definitely make a great stew, but we like chuck better because it has more connective tissue.
What is the best meat to cook in a crockpot? ›
Choose the right cut: Chuck roasts, short ribs, pork shoulders and lamb shanks (think fatty and tougher meats) become meltingly tender with the moist, low heat of a slow cooker.
What are the 3 best cuts of beef? ›
These cuts—ribeye, New York strip loin, and filet mignon—can certainly be dubbed the best, and few will disagree. “Filet is the most tender cut, but has the least amount of flavor. Ribeye is the most flavorful, but the least tender of the three, and New York is in the middle.” Flannery explains.
Brisket. Universally beloved by barbecue pitmasters, the brisket is the breast of the cow and one of the toughest cuts. The grains of brisket are much coarser than those of other parts of the animal, so the cut requires some seriously long cook time.
What cut of beef has the most flavor? ›
The Ribeye is generally considered to be the most flavourful steak. These steaks are cut from the ribs and contain a lot of marbling throughout. The muscle from where the Ribeye is cut, isn't used often so the meat is very tender.
Is beef stew meat the same as chuck roast? ›
While the chuck roast is a larger cut of chuck meat that you can use for pot roast, beef stew meat, or a simple roast beef, the chuck steak is a smaller portion of that cut. It's carved right from the roast and can include the rib bone or be carved around it to create a boneless steak.
Is chuck roast the same as blade roast? ›
Chuck is an inexpensive beef that comes from the muscle between the neck and shoulder blade of the beef cattle. That's why other names for chuck roast include blade pot roast. Roasts and steaks are most popular cuts of chuck.
Which is more tender beef tips or stew meat? ›
Stew meat usually contains a tougher cut of meat (such as a chuck or rump roast) which is best suited for making Slow Cooker Beef Stew. Beef Tips should be prepared with a more tender cut of meat such as sirloin or tenderloin, unless they're being prepared in the Slow Cooker.
Is eye of round good for stew? ›
This extremely lean cut is shaped similar to a Tenderloin, but is much less tender. It's often packaged as a roast or steaks, but can be fabricated into Stew Meat or Cubed Steak.
