How to adjust stewing time for different weights of meat?
Simple scenario: I've got a Madras recipe that tells me to stew 2.0 kg of Lamb shoulder meat in the oven, covered with foil for 2,5 hours at 180 deg Celsius, then another 30 mins at 200 deg without the foil.
Now I'm cooking for only a few people, so I have 0.6 kg of meat, i.e. only 30% of the recipe's weight.
So, my question: How should I adjust the cooking times? Any useful rule of thumb?
My initial thought was be to factor times down to 0.6 / 20, i.e. respectively 45 and 10 minutes. Then again, this seems on the low side for a tender stew (or is it?). This is probably because of those 2,5 hours, maybe 50% would be to ensure the meat's cooked, and the other 50% is to ensure it's tender; and those halves are to be adjusted differently?
Suggested questions "that may already have your answer" has one great title, but question nor answer helps me answer my question. Searching seems to yield zero results, though my queries may've been wrong.
Best Answer
With lamb (and stews in general) it's not a great idea to adjust cooking times to account for quantity of meat. I have found some useful information on this Chow.com article:
The key to cooking any tough cut is slow simmering over low heat—lamb shoulder could take upward of two hours to reach the tender zone. Don't be alarmed if the meat seems quite tough after it's cooked for a while, sunshine842 says. The muscle fibers seize up, then relax into a state of tenderness after more cooking. Just keep simmering.
So if you reduce your cooking time to 30% then the meat will have 70% less time to relax and become tender. I suggest to instead stick with the original cooking time and just check it now and then. You can't really over-cook shoulder over low heat.
Pictures about "How to adjust stewing time for different weights of meat?"
Does meat with more fat take longer to cook?
2) How Much Connective Tissue and Fat There IsIf the cut of meat you are cooking has a lot of fat and connective tissue, you will need to factor in a longer cooking time. The collagen in connective tissue can make your meat moist and succulent if you cook it right. That means you have to melt it down.How long do I cook 1.2 kg of beef?
Calculate roughly 400g per person. If cooking beef off the bone, 1kg will serve four and 1.5kg will serve about six, so 200-300g per person. Calculate your cooking time for medium-rare with 20 minutes per 500g or for medium use 25 minutes per 500g.How do you reduce meat cooking time?
7 Kitchen Hacks to Shorten Cooking TimeDoes it take longer to cook two roasts at the same time?
Despite lore to the contrary, the cooking time doesn't double when you're roasting two hunks of meat in the oven. Chances are one roast will be smaller than the other, so approximate the cooking time based on its weight and start testing it for doneness when the kitchen thermometer rings.Cooking 101: Proper cooking Temperatures to Ensure Safe Food - White Apron Catering, Lake Worth, Fl
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Anete Lusina, Teddy Yang, Nic Wood, SHVETS production