Tough Stew Meat for a Carbonnade
Tonight I made a Carbonnade Flammande (basically just a Boeuf Bourguinon with beer instead of traditional red wine). I have made this stew before successfully, but this time the meat was very tough! I'm trying to troubleshoot, so here are some details.
First, I browned the meat (chuck). Then I caramelized some onions and deglazed the pan with a bit of beef stock. The beef goes back in the pan with enough beer to just cover it. Then I cooked it in the oven (covered) at 175C for about 2 hours and 20 minutes. I had checked it at the halfway point to see how it was going, and the meat was still tough. To my disappointment it was still tough even at the two hour point.
My guess is that either the meat I bought is just a bad/old/tough batch (it was precut stew meat), I didn't have the oven low enough, or didn't cook long enough (though the classic recipe says two hours should be sufficient). I know browning gives you great flavor, but could it make the meat too tough? Should I have had even more or less liquid? What do you think?
I'm really a novice in the kitchen so all of your comments are appreciated.
Best Answer
It sounds like you did everything right except you didn't cook it long enough. Pre-cut stew meat is often from tough cuts, and can sometimes take a long time to get tender. I would suggest lower and slower next time. Also, maybe you didn't rest the meat after cooking, I would suggest resting at least 30 minutes but give it an hour if you can. Try giving yourself 4 and a half hours from start to serve, 3 and a half for cooking at 150C and 1 hour for resting, that should give you a more consistently tender result.
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How do you make tough stew meat tender?
8 Simple Ways to Make Tough Meat TenderWhy is my Birria meat tough?
Cook Low and Slow This long, slow braise breaks down the connective tissue and fat, creating deliciously soft and juicy meat. Why is meat still tough in the slow cooker? It's because you haven't let the collagen break down. Extend the cook time, make sure there's enough liquid and keep an eye on the dish.Can you fix tough stew meat?
You may need some sweetness and acidity to bring up the tough meat. Simmer in liquid. Just like for burnt meat, if your meat gets tough and dry then you can simmer it in a little bit of broth for a couple minutes. Don't allow it to overcook again but just allow the liquid to penetrate the meat.What is the most tender stew meat?
The following are some of the best cuts of beef for stewing, yielding meat that's juicy and tender even after long cooking:- Chuck.
- Bone-in short rib.
- Bohemian (Bottom Sirloin Flap)
- Oxtail.
- Fatty brisket ("point" or "second cut")
- Cross-cut shanks.
The northern France answer to boeuf bourguignon: Slow cooked beef in dark belgium ale
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Answer 2
It sounds like the meat was just not up to par. These things happen. If you find that your meat is still a bit tough, try putting the whole lot in the pressure cooker for 10 mins, this should tenderize the meat a bit more and still give you a great meal.
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