Flouring Ingredients for a Stew

In home-style and country cooking, stew meat is often floured (in French, singer) before it is browned in hot fat. This is an excellent technique because the flour is thoroughly browned, eliminating any starchy flavor; moreover, the browning of the meat is made easier because the flour helps form a crust. The total amount of flour added to the stew is relatively small so that, if necessary, the cook can add more thickener (beurre manié) or reduce the stewing liquid at the end of cooking.