Which beef should you choose for a stew?

Start with chuck or another braising cut

Chuck, from the shoulder area, is a useful starting point. What matters is the structure of the particular piece, not just its label. Your butcher may recommend another suitable cut and explain how much trimming it needs.

A very lean piece and a piece with more connective tissue will behave differently in the pot. The aim is not to buy the most expensive meat. It is to match the cut to a slow, moist cooking method.

Keep the cubes a similar size

Small pieces and very large chunks can cook unevenly. Ask for a fairly consistent dice, perhaps around three centimetres, and adapt it to your recipe. That size is a practical starting point rather than a fixed rule.

Brown the beef in smaller batches before adding liquid. Crowding the pan makes it harder to develop a browned surface. Add the remaining ingredients according to your recipe, then turn down the heat.

Check tenderness instead of relying on the clock

A pot that boils fiercely is not necessarily producing a better stew. Gentle cooking and enough time are more useful than repeatedly turning up the heat. The exact duration depends on the cut and cube size; check that a piece yields easily to a fork.

If dinner needs to be ready in half an hour, choose another dish. Thin beef strips from a cut intended for quick cooking may be a better answer than trying to rush a large stew.

Sources and further reading

• Stewing Basics
• Chuck Steak