make up the beef stock using the wine instead of water……..
I’m guessing half a pint (its only a stew for 2) of red will be overkill but hey, what do the STW Masterchefs reckon…..

sounds about 100000% of right to me.

I thought you were going to ask about using roadkill cat instead of beef…

go for it.

Half and half – can be a bit too rich with just wine I think.

Sounds prefect, and chuck in a block or two of dark chocolate about 30 minutes before serving – trust me… it’s gorgeous

and I’m not a chocolate person

I find stews a bit rich made with just wine. If you use a tough cut of meat like shin or skirt, dust it with seasoned flour, brown it in a frying pan, then braise it in nothing but water (with seasoning) and veg for 6-7 hours on a low heat, the gravy you get is amazing. No stock needed. If you’re going to do a quick stew then I wouldn’t put all that wine in as it will be practically still be wine when it comes out.

Celery is essential.

I’d go 50/50 stock/wine + seasoning

<returns from slicing and dicing>

and, the result of the STW survey is………..

50/50 …….. 😆
<toddles off, back to the kitchen>

A mans work is never done…… 😆

Tinker-belle -interesting thought that…. i’d get shot though- there’s (meant to be..) a points counting system in place ChezMM at the mo – and that includes me……. 🙄

throw some guiness in. Its good for you, apparently

DAvey is right…Shin or leg is the cut. I put a nice dark ale in to my stews.

put a banana in. They’re good for you too

Ah the old points counting system – me and Mr Cooroo are on it too. It does work though… Just measure that wine!

Bit of marmite too, omnomnomnomnomnomnom! 🙂

what tinker-belle said…

needs chocolate in stews, works really well in chilli too, mmm might have to knock up a choclate chilli for tea now

<returns from kitchen>
ok, so, that’s bubbling away nicely now lets see……..

Cooroo – yep. works if you stick to it, we’re both bliddy useless though……. 🙄

CFH – dunno the cut be we’re lucky – 2 great butchers in the village…..
as for ale – that was the recipe but there’s none in the cellar so had to resort to plan B….. speaking of which……..
Glass of rioja anyone? had to open it for the recipe you see, seems churlish to just leave the rest standing…. and it will take the edge off these Quickbooks tutorials……

*cough* fat club *cough* 😉

terrible cough that Jamie, 😀
was going to include my ‘fatclub’ status with above comments, instead I decided to wait and see how long it took, and who it would be that would point it out… you win 😉

Have not had a drop of the hard stuff yet but, there’s a bottle or two of Peroni in the fridge….. 😀

I wouldn’t worry about it, I plan on getting hammered tomorrow. 1 step forward and 2 steps back etc etc

not at all worried, just frustrated with myself and lack of willpower……….
now, it must be peroni time….. 😀

well, despite my best efforts to kill it (let it ‘simmer’ dry……… 😳 ) a change of pan, more liquid and another 2 hrs on a very low light and you only have to look at the beef and it all but falls apart….. 😆

Drink the wine, flash it with vodka and add some port to balance things out. Your cooking will improve no end 😉

Hairychested – now, there’s an idea – had a drunk the wine yesterday, instead of disappearing to the attic to work I may not have burnt it to begin with….
MrsMM finished work uber late last night so the stew remains untouched….. for now…… we do have port knocking about so i’ll think about that 😀