Lamb Stew in the Crockpot

The Why:

I've owned at least one crockpot for nearly all of my adult life.  This was one of those household items my Mom gave me way back when, because she had 3 or 4 and used them a lot.  And what could be more convenient for someone who works all day, then has to come home and deal with dinner?  Such an awesome kitchen invention!  Pile all your fixins in the pot in the morning, set it on low, come home to delicious aromas and a supper that's ready for you to sit down and eat.

And crockpots have come a little ways, too.  The old school ones were usually just two settings, high and low.  This was usually enough, but I admit I enjoy a couple other conveniences.  My current crockpot has three settings -- the ubiquitous high and low, and also a "warm" setting to keep the contents just at warm without cooking further (much, anyway).

Also, the big thing for me -- I can set how long I want the pot to cook, in 30 minute increments.  Whether I set it on high or low, I can program in the time and at the end of it, the pot automatically switches to the "warm" setting.  This has been especially handy, but this crockpot seems much more efficient that what I've had before -- it tends to cook much faster than I'm used to.  After using it a few times, I can fairly well judge how long I need to program the time.

It's been a while since I've actually used a crockpot on a regular basis.  I used to cook in it at least once or twice a week, especially in the cooler months.  Now, I use it maybe once a month or so, usually when I get a hankering for something "old school."

So, as I was shopping in Lee Lee's Oriental Supermarket the other day, I was loving the different meat selections that I usually don't see in the regular grostos.  Their fish market is the best I've seen locally, and their meat market is pretty extensive, too.  Some of the offerings are more ethnic than I'd ever attempt at home (chicken feet, pig liver, and other parts I'm not even sure exactly what they're used for).  But some meats, while they have their places in Asian cooking, are also very adaptable to our less-adventurous American fare.

The other day, I happened to see two things that really sounded good to me.  One was sliced rib-eye steak -- and we're talking super-paper thin slices.  This is typically used in dishes such as Vietnamese pho and Japanese shabu-shabu.  (Both of which I want to try at home).  But, I was thinking this would also work great for simple Philly cheesesteak sandwiches.  The meat is so thin it'll cook in, literally, a minute.  And I was thinking this might be something B. would eat, even though he usually prefers filet or sirloin over rib-eye (he hates the marbling, which I love).  So that's an upcoming meal this week.  (They also had super thin pork loin slices, which I may check out in a future trip).

Lee Lee's also had cubed meat -- beef, goat, and lamb.  I love lamb, so I thought I'd pick up a pack and do a crockpot stew.  (I may try the goat, too, though).  I was thinking I'd do a more traditional stew, rather than something more "exotic" like Mulligatawny.  But this is me, after all, so even my traditional tends to get a little crazy at times.

There's nothing really strange in here, by any means, but the gravy is from scratch rather than throwing in a packet of dry beef stew mix or dry gravy mix.  One little tweak that I did, which I've never seen before, is to add a bit of hot mustard paste.  I picked this up in the tube on Saturday, because I love hot mustard in Asian restaurants.  And for some reason, it just seemed like it would work well in my stew it did).  There's not so much in there that you get a pungent mustardy flavor, but there is just enough to get a subtle undertone of it.  Otherwise, my flavorings and spices are pretty "normal" stew fixins -- but like any stew, it's highly customizable.  Be creative!

I loved the way mine turned out, especially as I had the bright idea to serve it over cheese grits.  Most of the time, stew just goes with good crusty bread, but I've been in the mood for cheese grits lately, so I went with it.  I always cook my grits using a combination of chicken broth and skim milk, rather than just plain water.  This time, at the end, I also added some grated Manchego and some Blue Castello to melt right it.  The result was amazing -- rich, creamy, and satisfying -- everything grits should be!  And with the stew on top, this dish just went to a whole other level.  Can you tell I'm a huge fan?

A couple of notes:

As I said, stew is a highly customizable dish by its very nature, especially the vegetables.  I used the standards:  potatoes, onions, garlic, celery, carrots.  That's what I had on hand.  But you could certainly use turnips, parsnips, rhutabaga, or just about any root vegetable.  I'm also a big rosemary lover, so I used a good amount.  If you prefer thyme, use more of that.  There's no real rule -- except to just like what you put in.

Also, as I mentioned, my crockpot tends to cook much faster than I'm used to.  In the directions, I give a time range for the cooking part -- but know that these times are purely estimates!  I have no idea how fast or slow your pot will cook.  As a sort of guide for your comparison:  I turned my pot on high for the first 1.5 hours, then I switched it to low for another 3 hours.  (I was leaving for the gym and didn't want to overcook, so I switched it to low).  I think those times cooked it perfectly for me -- luckily, since I was totally guessing and I wasn't here to check on it.  Plus, I have a good sized pot, and it was full!  If there's less in the pot, it will cook faster.   So play with your times and, if possible, keep an eye on it the first time you make it so you can get an idea of the right time for you.

Now, on to the good stuff!

The How:

 

Lamb Stew in the Crockpot

1.5 to 2 lbs boneless lamb, cubed

¼ C. of flour

1 t. salt

½ t. pepper

3 C. beef broth

1.5 C. red wine (a good wine that you’d actually enjoy drinking)

1 6 oz. can of tomato paste (good quality)

1 T. hot mustard paste

3 T. Worcestershire sauce

4 springs fresh rosemary (about 6 inches each), either left whole on the stalk or finely chopped

1 T. dried Herbs de Provence

1 t. paprika

1 large or 2 small bay leaves

1 medium onion, chopped

1. 5 lb potatoes, cut into chunks

Several cloves of garlic (to taste) – I used some whole, some rough chopped

2 stalks of celery, chopped

1 C. carrots, sliced

1 8 oz. package of mushrooms, sliced into halves

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

If using stew meat, trim the excess fat.  Combine the flour, salt and black pepper in a plastic zipper bag (or large bowl).  Dredge the meat in the flour mixture (in batches if necessary). Shake off any excess flour.

Heat 1 T. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, place chunks of meat in the skillet and brown on all sides.  Don’t crowd the meat.  Put the browned pieces into the crockpot as you finish them.

Add the beef stock and red wine.  Add the Herbs de Provence, the paprika, the rosemary, the bay leaf, the tomato paste, the hot mustard, and the Worcestershire sauce.  Stir gently just to distribute.  (The mustard and tomato paste will dissolve as the pot heats up).

Add the onion, potatoes, garlic, celery, carrots, and mushrooms.  Add salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste.

Cook on high for 3 to 4 hours, or on low for 6 to 8 hours, until meat is fork-tender and gravy is well-thickened.  (Note:  Cook times will vary based on your particular crockpot).

Remove the bay leaf and the rosemary stalks, if you used it whole.  Serve over rice, pasta or grits, or with fresh, crusty bread.