On Beef Stews

What? Four recipes for beef stews (not counting the oxtail goulash)? I can’t deny it; whatever they’re called – daubes, casseroles, sautés – I’m a big fan. I like shoving lots of ingredients into a pot with stock and red wine, letting them cook unmolested for a couple of hours or so and then opening them up to find out what’s happened. With a bit of luck there’ll be a seriously inviting amalgamation of herbs, garlic, orange peel and wine covering enjoyably chunky and chewable meat. Assuming for a moment that you can buy good stewing meat, chuck, shoulder, topside, even rump (shin if you must), all you have to do is cut the meat into large chunks – small pieces have no chutzpah and imply they have come from a lowly cut that has demanded much interference – brown them quickly and add more or less any ingredients that you think will go well together. Invariably you will need some good stock and a decent fruity unacidic wine – Merlot or Malbec from South America, spicy blends from south-west France or the Rhône valley, robust reds from central Italy would all be fine. Don’t be frightened of adding a pinch or two of sugar if you feel your cooking wine hasn’t quite enough ripe fruit.