Stews

Nothing hits the spot on a cold, snowy day than a rich and steaming bowl of stew. But what is, stew, exactly? Stew is not only the name of a dish, but it is also a cooking method. Stew, the dish, is loosely defined as meat or fish and vegetables cooked by stewing. Stew, the cooking method, is a moist heat cooking process by which meat and vegetables are slowly simmered in a flavorful liquid.

Cooking by boiling has occurred for literally tens of thousands of years. This technique has been refined over the years, of course, and references to more modern stews can be found throughout recorded history, from the lentil stew in the Biblical story of Cain and Abel to Hungarian Goulash with paprika in the 1700’s to Byron’s reference to Irish Stew in 1814.

Stews exist all over the world, although they might not be called “stew.” Other names you might have heard include Kentucky’s burgoo, French Cassoulet, Ratatouille, Beef Bourguignon and Bouillabaisse, India’s infinite number of curries, Louisiana’s gumbo, Hungary’s famed goulash, and Mexican/Tex-Mex Chili con Carne. Furthermore, people all over the world stew every day without a recipe and without calling it a specific name.