The subtleties of cooking lamb stew
Mutton stew is more popular with Muslims, because they, in accordance with their religion, prefer to use this particular product.Everyone who has tried the lamb knows that it has its own flavor, so it must be properly prepared.
Properties and calorie
Mutton stew may have different calories, it all depends on what ingredients are used. It is best to buy meat for stews in the area of the tail, breast, shoulder. It on the market is also crushed and sold already cut. Although it has a lot of cholesterol, but it is rich in protein. Gout occurs because of the high amount of red meat consumed, so sometimes animal squirrels are best obtained as seafood or poultry instead of lamb.
The stew contains about 244 calories. The fat content is 11 g, while the cholesterol is 107 mg. The proteins that are necessary for the body are contained in mutton in the amount of 33.9 g, which contains calcium (21.5 mg) and potassium (424.9 mg). The content of saturated fat in lamb is quite high.
Meat should not be consumed too often, as there is a risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.
The product is rich in nutrients such as manganese, phosphorus, pantothenic acid and vitamins B6 and A, it is low in sodium. It is better not to fry meat or stew it in a pan, the oven with a clay pot or a slow cooker is most suitable. The number of calories depends on the level of fat in the meat. Chops will contain from 160 to 200 calories in a piece weighing 100 grams. In the stew, the calorie content may increase or decrease depending on what additional ingredients are used, whether the butter will be involved in cooking.
When buying meat, make sure that it is pink in color, and the existing fat on it is white, not yellow. This is the first indicator that the meat is fresh, but you should not leave it on the table. Upon arrival home you should definitely put it in the fridge and keep it there until ready. The nutritional value of mutton shows that although the product has a high content of saturated fat, it contains many nutrients, such as phosphorus, zinc, niacin, B vitamins, selenium, protein, amino acids, fatty acids, mineral salts, sodium, and fiber.
The list of useful components is as follows:
- saturated fats;
- polyunsaturated fats;
- monounsaturated fats;
- sodium;
- potassium;
- magnesium;
- potassium;
- iron;
- phosphorus;
- copper;
- manganese.
Of the vitamins, the following should be noted:
- BUT;
- AT 12;
- AT 6;
- E;
- WITH;
- D.
How to choose meat?
Lamb neck, brisket is best for cooking stews, but often parts from other carcasses, such as the shoulder blade, are often used. In confusion, most novice cooks choose the wrong pieces of meat, although more wiry are suitable for stews, since it is cooked with prolonged heat treatment. The white veins are not fat, but collagen is the connective tissue in the flesh itself, which will collapse over a long cooking period, making the meat tender and juicy. The flesh from the front shoulder or the back leg of the animal will be the toughest, it may take longer to prepare, but it is also the most delicious.
If the meat is purchased not in the market, but in the store, already pre-packaged and cut, then it is better if the packaging indicates that it is specifically designed for stews.
When buying from a butcher, he will gladly tell you which piece is ideal for stews and, most likely, will offer exactly the toughest pieces, since after 8 hours of languor they will become surprisingly tender and fragrant. It’s up to the consumer to decide how much time he has to devote himself to cooking. It should be noted that sometimes unscrupulous manufacturers fold into a package for extinguishing not exactly the pieces that should be there. Will be different and the fat content in different pieces.
Meat from the shoulder of an animal is perhaps the best cut for this type of dish. Due to the fact that the shoulder is active every time the ram moves, the muscles that make up this piece of meat are initially very hard, but after a long thermal exposure, it is more delicious to find dishes.
You will need to cut the meat into pieces of the same size. So they evenly stew, all the hard fibers collapse, the juices will be absorbed. Mutton is more tender than beef, with which vegetables are especially good in stews. For flavor you can add herbs and seasoning. Almost any mutton cut will be amazing after a long stewing, but a shoulder is the best option. Professional chefs advise you to buy a part of the shoulder with a bone that needs to be removed.
If you want to find meat cheaper, then you should take a cut from the neck.
The less fat is found in meat, the healthier the dish. Top round cuts are ideal for stews, they are the leanest in the whole carcass. Keep in mind that if the lamb pieces are hard, this does not mean that they will be fat. Meat contains a number of beneficial nutrients, such as iron, zinc and vitamin B12, as well as protein. For the dish to be useful, beans and vegetables must be present in it. They are the key ingredients because they are a rich source of other nutrients. It is necessary to use the following ingredients when stewing beef:
- potatoes;
- roots;
- tomatoes;
- onion;
- garlic;
- leek;
- turnip;
- parsnip.
Important! It is necessary to choose animal meat from proven manufacturers who did not use hormones and antibiotics.
Cooking features
Contrary to the assertions of some people, you can cook lamb quickly and deliciously, without having to spend a lot of time on this, you just need to choose the right meat and calculate the temperature. Quenching has been used since ancient times as one of the best ways to make soft and tender meat. It should be said that specifically lamb fat has a specific aroma, so the main problem of the chef is to remove the smell. The thing is that the smaller it is in the pot, the slow cooker or the oven, the better the dish will turn out.
It is necessary to pick up a piece from the shoulder blade, where the muscle is more developed, respectively, and fatty layers only inside. If you come across pieces of lamb fat on the surface, they should definitely be cut off.
Salt the meat only before cooking, because the salt takes the juice, as a result, the product is tasteless. You can marinate lamb in tomato paste, lemon juice, soy sauce. You should not beat it, damaged fibers during long-term heat treatment will lose all the juice, again the meat will be tough. You can pre-soak the product in water so that its pores open or in milk, due to which unnecessary blood is drawn.
The smell will go away if you use the right seasoning. The easiest way is to buy it by weight. Be sure to use garlic, black pepper, even ginger, rosemary. As for sage, it has a specific aroma, so it is not suitable for everyone, it is added to taste. Lemon juice perfectly removes the flavor. Before cooking lamb stew, you can fry it over high heat until a crust appears. Fat is sealed inside, there will be a pronounced smell, and the meat will be juicy.
Recipes
Cooking beef stew can be with onions in a simple frying pan or in a clay pot in the oven. But it is best to make a dish in a cauldron, because this dish is ideal for long-term heat treatment. You can add vegetables in large quantities, because they provide the necessary liquid, and you can make the meat in its own juice. It turns out very well if the lamb fits in a saucepan in layers, where the meat comes first, and then the vegetables, as soon as they reach readiness.
You can even put slices on the bone, after heat treatment, the pulp will move away from it, but the dish will turn out to be especially fragrant.
Persian Braised Lamb with Meat
The recipe for cooking simple Persian stewed lamb with meat, turmeric and chili under the power of each mistress. Slowly cooked, tender basmati rice is perfect for him. The following ingredients are required for cooking:
- 1 tbsp. l turmeric;
- 2 tsp. black pepper;
- 1 teaspoon salt;
- 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper;
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil;
- 2 medium onions, chopped;
- Cut 3 pieces of lamb into cubes or strips for stewing;
- 3 tablespoons of tomato paste;
- ¼ cups of fresh parsley or cilantro, finely chopped;
- 4 cups of steamed rice.
In a small dish mix turmeric, black pepper, salt and chili. Olive oil is heated in a large pan, cauldron or frying pan, but it should not smoke. Fry the onion for 10 minutes, until it softens and begins to turn golden brown. Add the lamb meat, you can use pure pulp without bones or with them. Meat is fried for several minutes on each side. Be sure to drain the fat that is collected in the tank.
Sprinkle all seasoning, spreading the spices evenly over the top of the meat. Pour 4 cups of water on top, bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium level. Stew for two hours using a large spoon to remove fat from the surface every 30 minutes. After 2 hours, add tomato paste to the container and mix until it is dissolved in the broth. Stew for another 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the meat is pleasant and tender, and the sauce thickens. Salt and seasoning regulate as desired. Mutton stew is decorated with fresh parsley or cilantro before serving, served on basmati rice and gravy.
Lamb stew
If you want to treat guests with something unusual, then you should use the following recipe. To prepare it you will need ingredients such as:
- meat from the shoulder, cut into pieces;
- ½ tablespoons of lamb salt plus 1 tsp for stews;
- 1 teaspoon black pepper for meat plus 1/2 teaspoon for vegetables;
- ¼ cups of wheat flour or cornstarch;
- 1 large yellow onion, diced;
- 4 cloves of garlic, minced;
- 1½ cups diluted soy sauce;
- 1 kg of mushrooms, coarsely chopped;
- 4 cups of broth, it is desirable that it be beef or chicken;
- 1 tablespoon of tomato paste;
- 2 bay leaves;
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme;
- 1½ kg of potatoes;
- 4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thick strips;
- ¼ cups of parsley, finely chopped to garnish.
Season the lamb pieces 1/2 tbsp. l salt and 1 tsp. Peppers, sprinkle 1/4 glass of flour and mix well. It is advisable to dry the meat well before that, if there is moisture, the flour will turn into porridge. Mutton fry on hot sunflower for several minutes on each side, then spread on a plate. Add diced onion to the same frying pan and sauté for 2 minutes. Spread garlic and cook another minute, stirring constantly.
Add 1½ cups of diluted soy sauce. Spread sliced mushrooms, bring to a boil, close the lid and stew for another 10 minutes. Now preheat oven to + 170 ° C. In a container for baking, clay pot, lay the lamb, add 4 cups of broth, 1 tbsp. l tomato paste, 1 tsp. salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp dried thyme and 2 bay leaves. Lay the potatoes and carrots, making sure they are completely covered with liquid. Bring to the boil, cover and gently stew for 1 hour and 45 minutes. Meat and potatoes should be very tender and fragrant.
Middle Eastern lamb stews are ideal for waking taste buds, especially if you are fed up with the same food. Most recipes offer stewed lamb cubes in a fragrant spicy sauce, which are cooked for several hours.Such a lamb stew just dissolves in the mouth. In fact, there are a lot of cooking options. The Moroccan mutton stew, which includes apricots, raisins and chickpeas, is popular.
Sharp stewed beef, which is cooked with a lot of tomato paste and turmeric, cannot but please. Served such dishes with flat bread or rice.
Moroccan lamb
For cooking at home Moroccan mutton will need to be on hand following ingredients:
- lamb shoulder;
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter;
- 1 small onion, grated (about 1/3 cup or 50 g);
- 4 cloves of garlic, crushed;
- 1 teaspoon black pepper;
- 1 teaspoon salt;
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon;
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander;
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin;
- ½ tsp of red pepper flakes;
- ¼ cup (80 g) apricot jam;
- a cup (80 ml) of wine vinegar;
- 411 g canning chickpeas;
- 2 cups (473 ml) chicken broth;
- ¼ cup (40 g) raisins;
- Cup (5 g) chopped fresh parsley;
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice.
Iranian Braised Lamb
For the Iranian lamb stew, you need to have in the kitchen such ingredients as:
- 1 tablespoon of turmeric;
- 2 teaspoons black pepper;
- 1 teaspoon salt;
- 1 teaspoon crushed flakes of red pepper;
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil;
- 2 medium onions, rub, grind;
- 1.36 kg of mutton, chopped into pieces for quenching;
- 4 cups (950 ml) of water;
- 3 tablespoons of tomato paste;
- 1/4 cup (5 g) fresh parsley or cilantro, chopped.
Rub onions on a grater. When cutting meat gently cut off the excess fat, for this use a sharp knife. Fry the meat first, until it forms an attractive crust. Then add onions and seasonings. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large saucepan or multicooker. Add the lamb pieces and grated onions along with the seasonings. Stir and boil for 5–7 minutes.
The cook should smell the spices, and the lamb should not roast too much. From the seasonings pour into the container the following:
- 4 cloves of crushed garlic;
- 1 teaspoon black pepper;
- 1 teaspoon salt;
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon;
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander;
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin;
- ½ tsp of red pepper flakes;
- ¼ cup (80 g) apricot jam;
- a cup (80 ml) of wine vinegar.
Open the chickpeas, filter it, rinse, and then add it to the pan along with 2 cups of chicken broth. Bring Moroccan stew to a boil and reduce the heat to minimum. Cover and let gently boil for 1 hour and 15 minutes. You can adjust the temperature. As soon as the lamb has become tender, add 1/4 cup (40 g) of raisins. Cook the stew for another ten minutes with the lid closed. Raisins should soften and swell. Turn off the fire and pour 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley along with 2 tablespoons of lemon juice. You can serve a dish with cakes or couscous.
Iranian Mutton Stew
The process of cooking Iranian lamb stew is also simple. Although there are not so many ingredients in this dish, it is necessary to have on hand some spices that are responsible not only for the flavor, but also for the spiciness.
You will need to mix the following ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of turmeric;
- 2 teaspoons black pepper;
- 1 teaspoon salt;
- 1 teaspoon crushed flakes of red pepper.
3 tablespoons of olive oil are poured onto a preheated pan and wait until it is hot. Cover the chopped onion, fry it for about 10 minutes or until it becomes translucent and soften. You can adjust the fire so that the bow does not burn. Lamb is cut into large pieces, added to a saucepan with fried onions and cooked on medium heat for several minutes. Turn the meat in a few minutes so that it roasts on all sides, drain the resulting fat.You can use boneless lamb, any large pieces that are and even on the bone.
Add the spice mix to the browned mutton and mix well so that they soak into the meat of the lamb. Pour 4 glasses of water and bring to a boil. Remove the fire to a minimum and extinguish everything for 2 hours. Fat on top must be removed if you want the dish to be fragrant, but it does not smell specifically. Perfect for this small spoon. Remove fat every half hour.
After the indicated time, add 3 tablespoons of tomato paste and mix. Stew with the lid closed for another 20 minutes. If cooked on the stove and in the pan, the stew is often mixed so that it does not stick. The dish should thicken, then it will soften.
Before serving, add 1/4 cup of chopped fresh parsley or cilantro to the table. It is best to eat the dish hot with rice.
See the following video for the recipe for cooking lamb stew with vegetables and Adyghe cheese.