Monday Meals: Skyrim Beef Stew

Who doesn't love a slow cooked stew? While pretty basic, the taste and texture of a nice thick stew is irreplaceable. This is based on a recipe I found here, and I've adapted it some to fit with the theme, but of course liberties are taken to make it feasible and plenty yummy.

Yum yum

In TESV: Skyrim, beef stew is one of the many options you have to cook, and one of the easiest to emulate in real life. Beef stew is a nice warm, coming into spring meal, and I hope you enjoy it as much as Dovahkiin!

Skyrim Beef Stew:

Servings: 6

Prep time: 20 Minutes

Cooking time: 4-12 hours (depending on setting)

You will need:

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into 1 inch squares

1/4 cup flour

Salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (while not "TES-y" this adds a nice punch to the stew, think of it as mead)

1 clove garlic, minced

1 small onion, chopped

1 1/2 - 2 cups beef broth

3 potatoes diced (more or less, depending on size)

4 Carrots, peeled and sliced

1 stalk celery, chopped

2 - 2 1/2 cups fresh sliced button mushrooms

(Optional) 2 teaspoons of cornstarch

When all chopping is done...my hand hurts...

Other notes:

A slow cooked beef stew takes time.  The cooking time varies on what setting you put you slow cooker on. High is 4-6 hours and Low 10-12. Choose your setting based on how long you want to wait to wait. I usually start mine at about 11AM on High, and by 5PM, with some fresh rolls or bread on the side,  dinner is ready.

Procedure:

1. In a large bowl (enough to have the meat in with room) mix your flour with the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Add as much as you think you need, but be mindful to not overdo it. 

2. Add the stew meat into the bowl, and with your hands, mix the meat and flour together, ensuring an even coat. 

3. Mix meat, vegetables, and garlic together with the broth, and Worcestershire sauce. Make sure to pour any extra flour into the cooker, this will help thicken it. If you want an even thicker broth, add the cornstarch.

4. Turn the cooker on your desired setting and wait! If on low, stirring is not really needed except every couple of hours. The higher the setting the more you should stir, you don't want anything stuck the bottom. On "high" I stir once every 45 minutes to an hour.

Once done, the potatoes should be firm, but not crunchy, if the edges have started to round at all, you might have overcooked and you may a slight starch issue.

Your meat may be slightly pink inside, which is fine, as long as it is not bloody; a pink center is just a symptom of slow cooking. 

And you are done! If, if the operative word there, you have any leftovers, just put them into a fridge or freezer safe bowl and let them cool. If you put them in the fridge, the fat will separate from the broth, feel free to pick most of this off, this will make for a thicker and less greasy broth upon reheat.

I hope you enjoyed the featured Meal, and I hope you come back for more next week!

Ready to eat!

Now tell me, what is your favorite recipe in TES or the real world? What would you like to see next week? Tell me in the comments! No really, go, comment, now, shoo shoo!