STEWING

Question 1

Definition of stewing

Answer 1

Stewing is the principle of cookery where the food is covered with liquid and cooked slowly. It is a long process, giving concentrated colour and flavour to the food and sauce

A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in water or another water-based liquid, typically by simmering, and that are then served without being drained

Question 2

Associated culinary terms for stewing

Answer 2

• Roux or beurre manié – dough consisting of equal parts of butter and flour
• Blanch – cover meat with cold water and bring to the boil, then drain and refresh under cold running water
• Bouillabaisse – a French fish soup/stew.
• Brown stews are made with pieces of red meat that are first seared or browned. A browned mirepoix (and sometimes browned flour) plus liquids such as stock and wine are added, and the dish is simmered gently until tender.
• White stews, known as blanquettes or fricassees, are made with lamb or veal that is blanched, or lightly seared without colouring, and cooked in stock.

Question 3

Suitable foods and recipes when stewing

Answer 3

Foods suitable for stewing include:

• Tougher/cheaper cuts of meat – lamb, beef, pork and chicken
• Fish – fresh, ocean or shellfish (using a slow heat)
• Vegetables – garlic, tomatoes, capsicum, zucchinis and all root vegetables such as potatoes and onions
• Fruit – including apples, rhubarb, figs, peaches and pineapple.

Suitable recipes for stewing include:

• Chinese braised beef
• Ratatouille → french stewed vegetables
• Stewed peaches
• Irish lamb stew

Question 4

Utensils and equipment required when stewing

Answer 4

Equipment used in stew production includes bratt pans and casserole dishes. The choice of pan or dish depends on the amount being stewed.

Use a plastic or wooden spoon, as metal can discolour the food being prepared. Beware of splatters, as the heat of the stew will cause a burn. Have two people work together when transporting or removing food from large pans. (correct manual handling)

Bratt pan → allows to cook large columns of liquid and has a tilted feature to ensure food wastage is minimised → Tap at the back of bratt pan to prevent injury such as manual handling

Question 5

Principles and practices when stewing

Answer 5

• Food prepared for stewing is cut into even, bite-sized pieces
• Meat is sealed and browned by shallow-frying in hot oil
• Use appropriate stock and thickening agents (flour)
• Season meat prior to sealing
• Use a pot appropriate to the size of the recipe
• Use appropriate heat-proof gloves when removing containers from the stove

Question 6

Characteristics of food/dishes prepared when stir frying

Answer 6

• Stewing is suitable for the least tender cuts of meat, which become tender and juicy with the slow moist heat method.
• Cuts with a certain amount of marbling and gelatinous connective tissue produce moist, juicy stews, while lean meat can easily become dry.
• The vegetables are characteristically tender, due to the slow cooking process, and very nutritious with the retention of all the nutrients in the cooking medium

Question 7

Effect(s) on the nutritional value of food when stewing

Answer 7

There is little nutrient loss from the ingredients in the process of stewing, as all the vitamins remain in the liquid used in the sauce or gravy for service

Question 8

Safe and hygienic work practices when stewing

Answer 8

• Follow correct personal hygiene rules prior to cooking.
• Ensure cleaning of cooking utensils and containers.
• Safety when transporting the dish
• Caution when removing the lid → remove lid away from yourself to prevent steam burns
• Appropriate PPE as bratt pan is hot
• Correct manual handling when transporting large dishes → casserole dish is heavy
• Bratt pain is a strategy for manual handling as it has a tilting feature

Question 9

Problems in the cooking process when stewing

• Causes
• Indicators
• Corrective action(s)

Answer 9

• Stew is light brown when it should be white – stock too dark; meat and vegetables allowed to colour during shallow-frying; roux over- cooked; stew burned during cooking process.
• Too thin → haven’t used a thickening agent such as flour
• Meat is tough – meat under-cooked; meat too tough for length of cooking time.
• Sauce is too greasy – stew not skimmed adequately; fat not trimmed from meat; stew left standing too long prior to service, use skimming to get rid of the top layer of grease
• Temperature too high → liquid evaporates and absorb it, can burn the foods and over or undercook them, almost becomes a braised product
• Meat not cooked properly → haven’t sealed it beforehand
• Food isn’t uniform → food can be undercooked as a result of inconsistent pieces of food

Question 10

Environmentally friendly work practices when stewing

• Efficient use of resources, water and energy
• Management of kitchen waste

Answer 10

• Waste-minimisation techniques
• This is a cheap method of cooking, good for tough cuts of meat. All the ingredients used remain when the stew is complete, enabling ingredients to be tender and flavoursome.
• Can use off cuts → mirepoix vegetables