The Perfect Slow Cooker Stew

Your slow cooker is terribly versatile. It makes all sorts of delicious treats that you perhaps hadn’t thought possible in a slow cooker – chutneys, suet puddings and risottos (surely that should be risotti?) for example. But we mustn’t overlook the simple stew. The slow cooker is so perfectly suited to a wonderful warming stew, especially when you know a few tips and tricks to help make it even yummier.

The word ‘stew’ isn’t really descriptive enough to explain all the different types of stew, or to convey just how varied they can be. All too often people think that slow cooker stews all end up tasting the same – but that’s only when you keep putting the same ingredients in! Try varying the herbs and spices as well as the meat and vegetables and you will find there are hundreds of different stews to enjoy from your slow cooker during the long, cold winter months.

Choose Your Meat

Cheaper cuts of meat are perfect for hours of cooking in the slow cooker as the tight fibres break down and the cooking method retains all the delicious flavours and nutrients, resulting in a flavoursome meal. However, it is important to cut off all the visible fat as there is nowhere for it to go to, other than a layer of fat on the top of your stew. You can skim this off at the end, but it is better to have as little visible fat as possible in the first place as the fat gives a greasy finish to the dish.

Pick Your Vegetables

It’s all too easy to start every dish with onions and garlic, perhaps tomatoes too, and then be surprised when everything tastes the same. There is nothing wrong with starting dishes this way, after all, many Italian, French, Spanish and Indian meals need this base. But it’s worth thinking about adding some new faces in there. How about adding finely chopped celery for a fresh taste, or finely sliced fennel for a slight aniseed flavour that really compliments fish, chicken and pork?

The Joy of Stock

A good slow cooker stew needs a good stock. One way is to buy good quality stock cubes – this really isn’t a corner to cut – but make sure you add less (if any) salt, as stock cubes are salty enough, especially if you’re using any lardons or smoked bacon pieces. But, the best way is to make your own stock, which is particularly easy in your slow cooker.

Next time you have a roast chicken, pile in all the bones with an unpeeled, quartered onion, a couple of cloves, a couple of roughly chopped carrots and any other veg you fancy and let it bubble away for at least eight hours. Far better than a stock cube, although considerably more work. Just make sure you have a big pan under your colander as your strain your stock – nothing more annoying that seeing your delicious stock go down the sink!

How to Thicken Your Stew

Many stews in the slow cooker can end up being a little watery, as there is no evaporation as in a traditional oven, yet you need plenty of liquid to cook the potatoes or root vegetables. A good tip for thickening is to use either butter and flour, or slaked corn flour at the end of cooking. For traditional stews with European flavours, a spoonful of melted butter with the same amount of flour mixed together in a small cup added to the stew for the last half hour works perfectly and adds a little richness. For Eastern dishes, try mixing a teaspoon of corn flour into a little water.

The Perfect Stew Recipe

This wonderful recipe is the perfect basis for the perfect stew. Once you’ve got to know your slow cooker and your family’s preferences, you can chop and change the meat, vegetables and flavourings to suit.

• 1 large onion
• 1 head of fennel
• 4/5 large potatoes
• 3 cloves garlic
• 3 sticks of celery
• 4/5 carrots
• 500g pork (neck fillet is ideal, although any cheaper cuts, trimmed)
• 1 750 ml bottle of dry cider
• ½ pint of good chicken stock
• 3 bay leaves

Peel and slice all the vegetables (you don’t need to peel the fennel). Cut the pork into bite-sized pieces. Layer the vegetables in the slow cooker, seasoning as you go (no salt if you’re using a stock cube). You can add in sage, marjoram and parsley too. Put the pork on the top and add plenty of pepper. Heat the stock and cider together (a jug in the microwave is great for this) and pour it all over the stew. Tuck in the bay leaves. Cook on high for one hour and then at least six hours on low, although it won’t spoil for up to about 12 hours. Thicken using the butter and flour method described above. Serve with parsley and a large class of cider. Enjoy!