Chef John Ash shares 8 hearty, simple ways to make stew

OK … here’s your culinary quiz for today: What’s a stew?

In culinary dictionaries, stews are defined as dishes made with a cooking technique called braising. In fact, the words stewing and braising mean the same thing. Braising is a moist-heat cooking technique that breaks down tough cuts of meat and turns them tender and succulent. It's done at low heat over a relatively long time in a pot with a lid on, either on the stovetop or in the oven.

Meats like beef chuck, short ribs, brisket, oxtail, pork shoulder and lamb shanks are great for braising, as are dark-meat cuts of chicken like thighs and drumsticks. Depending on the meat, cooking time can vary from a few minutes for seafood to several hours for a tough piece of red meat.

“The Oxford Companion to Food” notes that stews have many practical advantages: “Everything can be combined in one pot so there is no wastage of fuel and less washing up. The mixture of ingredients in a thick and opaque sauce casts a veil of uncertainty over the proportions of expensive ingredients to cheap ones (I love that observation). It also enables the cook to be away from the kitchen before a meal.”

Traditionally, the meat is first browned in hot fat before it’s covered either partially or completely with stock or some other flavorful liquid along with flavorings and seasonings. It’s simmered at a low temperature, ideally just below boiling at between 205 and 210 degrees.

At this temperature, the connective tissues in meat break down and turn into collagen, which thickens and adds body to the cooking liquid. Sometimes the meat is coated in flour before browning, which adds additional thickening.

If you’re making stew as opposed to pot roast, you typically cut the meat into smaller pieces, but the cooking method is the same. Vegetables like carrots and potatoes usually go in toward the end of the cooking, so they don't get mushy. It’s your choice.

Though traditionally we associate “stew” with red meat cooked in one pot, the term has now morphed to include any protein. Here are some of my favorite recipes, and not all are meat-based.

There are no beans in this dish, but you could add them if you like. I usually serve this with jasmine rice and a garnish of grated cotija cheese and cilantro and some pan-grilled green onions.

Texas Red

Makes 6-8 servings (about 12 cups)

8 whole mixed dried chiles (5 ancho and 3 guajillo or all ancho, about 3 ounces)

3 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more as needed

3 pounds trimmed beef chuck, cut into small pieces (1-inch cubes)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 large onions, coarsely chopped (4-5 cups)

8 garlic cloves, minced (5 tablespoons)

2 jalapeño or serrano chiles, seeded if desired, minced

2 ½ teaspoons ground cumin

1 ½ teaspoons dried oregano

1 can (28 ounces) whole peeled plum tomatoes, hand crushed or pureed with their juice

4 cups beef or chicken stock

1 tablespoon dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 - 3 teaspoons red wine vinegar, or to taste

Toast dried chiles in a dry skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant and puffed, 1- 2 minutes per side. Remove stems and seeds and discard. Transfer chiles to a large measuring cup or bowl and cover with hot water. Keep chiles submerged with a small plate on top and let soak for 30 minutes. Remove from water and puree in a blender with ½ cup soaking liquid. Reserve remaining soaking water for thinning.

Heat a large, heavy pot over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil. Season beef with 2 ½ teaspoons salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Brown beef in two batches, adding more oil as needed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.

Add remaining tablespoon oil, the onions, garlic and minced jalapeños or serranos to pot. Cook over medium-high heat until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. (If the pan gets too dark, add a little water and scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon to deglaze.) Add cumin and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 1 minute.

Stir in browned beef and chile puree. Add tomato, stock, sugar, soy sauce and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently, covered, until meat is very tender and juices are thick, 2½ - 3 hours. (Check pot once an hour for excessive evaporation; if chile mixture seems dry, add a little of the chile soaking water.)

Season stew with salt to your taste and stir in vinegar. Serve immediately (or refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months).

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You can add anything to flavor the rich braising liquid here, such as dried porcini (rehydrated and sauteed, along with the onions), a little ancho or chipotle chile. The dish is even better when you make it ahead and reheat it, and it freezes beautifully.

Braised Short Ribs with Soft Polenta

Makes 4- 6 servings

3 pounds boneless short ribs, trimmed of fat

Salt and freshly ground pepper

4 tablespoons olive oil

6 large garlic cloves, separated and peeled

2 cups diced white onions

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

2 cups chopped mushrooms

2 cups canned diced tomatoes

1 bottle (or more) hearty dry red wine

3 cups rich beef, chicken or vegetable stock

1 tablespoon each chopped fresh rosemary and thyme (2 teaspoons dried)

2 teaspoons fennel seed

1 tablespoon cornstarch, softened in ⅓ cup wine or water (optional)

Soft polenta (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Season short ribs generously with salt and pepper. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a deep heavy-bottom pot or Dutch oven large enough to hold the short ribs in one layer. Over medium-high heat, brown the ribs on all sides. Remove short ribs; reserve and discard all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pot.

Add garlic, onions, carrot, celery and mushrooms to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned. Add the tomatoes, wine and stock and bring to boil. Add the short ribs, herbs and fennel seed. Cover with a lid or foil and braise in the oven for 2 ½ hours or until very tender.

Transfer the ribs to a platter. Strain cooking juices through a fine strainer and discard the solids. Remove and discard as much fat as you can. Return strained juices to the pot and over high heat, reduce until lightly thickened and concentrated, about 10 -15 minutes. You can thicken by whisking in as much of the cornstarch mixture as you like. Correct seasoning and return short ribs to pot and reheat.

To serve, spoon soft polenta onto shallow bowls. Top with short ribs and sauce.

Soft polenta

Makes 4 - 6 servings

4 cups chicken stock or water

1 cup yellow polenta cornmeal

2 tablespoons butter

⅓ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring the stock to a boil in a deep saucepan. Gradually whisk in the polenta and then reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring regularly, until the polenta is thick and pulling away from the sides of the pan, about 15 minutes. Cover and keep warm until ready to serve. If it gets too thick, stir in a bit more stock or water. Just before serving, stir in butter and cheese and season to your taste with salt and pepper.

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This is a variation of an ancient Italian recipe called “Peposo” which is so named because it uses a lot of black pepper. It’s a simple recipe and something happens in the long, slow cooking that gives the meat great flavor and texture and mellows the pepper.

Start this in the morning and your house will smell delicious all day long! If you still have a slow cooker, now is the time to drag it out. Traditionally, this was served over day-old crusty bread topped with the braising liquid. You also can serve it with potatoes (mashed or roasted), polenta or pasta. Here I’ve cut up the beef, but you also could leave it in one piece. The recipe calls for cracked pepper, which is best added at the last moment. Use a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle if you have one, or the bottom of a heavy cast-iron pan to roll over and crush the whole peppercorns.

Peposo (Slow-Cooked Italian Beef Stew)

Makes 4 - 6 servings

2 ½-pound lean stewing beef, cut in 2-inch squares

3 tablespoons olive oil

16 whole garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons or so cracked black pepper (not ground)

4 cups canned diced tomatoes in juice

2 cups hearty red wine, such as cabernet or zinfandel

1 cup chopped basil leaves

Salt, to taste

Gremolata (recipe follows), for garnish

Brown the beef quickly in the oil in a large, heavy Dutch oven or pot, preferably ceramic or enamel. Pour off fat and place all remaining ingredients except salt into the pot. Cover tightly and place in a preheated, 275-degree oven for 8- 10 hours (or on the stovetop over very low heat.) The idea is to bring the mixture to a very gentle simmer. Check occasionally, and if the liquid begins to boil away, add a little boiling stock, wine or water and lower the heat.

Cook until meat is very tender. Remove meat to a deep platter and keep warm. Degrease cooking liquid if needed and add salt, to taste. Return meat to braising liquid and serve topped with a sprinkling of gremolata.

This recipe fast if you use a mini food processor, or you can do it by hand.

Gremolata

Makes about ½ cup

3 large garlic cloves

1 cup packed parsley leaves

2 - 3 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon or so salt

Pulse the garlic, parsley and lemon to finely chop it. Be careful not to turn it into a paste. It should be light and airy. Add salt, to taste.

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This is a rustic stew that you also could make in a slow cooker.

Pork Stew with White Beans and Butternut Squash

Makes 8- 10 servings

1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1½-inch cubes

3 tablespoons or so olive oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1½-inch cubes

1 large onion, diced

2 tablespoons finely sliced garlic

1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 ½ teaspoons smoked hot paprika, or to taste

3 cups canned diced tomatoes in juice

3 cups chicken or mushroom stock

1 teaspoon dried thyme

4 cups or so cooked white beans, such as great northern

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, with convection if available. Toss the squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season well with salt and pepper. Scatter the squash in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, turning once or twice, until the squash is lightly browned and tender but not mushy, about 25 minutes. Set aside. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to a Dutch oven and set over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, season the pork well with salt and add half of it to the pot. Brown the cubes on all sides, about 6 minutes total. Remove the pork to a plate with a slotted spoon and repeat with the rest of the meat, adding more oil if necessary.

When the pork is browned, turn the heat to low and add the onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another couple minutes, until fragrant. Stir in the mustard, tomato paste and smoked paprika and cook for another 2 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, stock, thyme and 2 teaspoons salt, plus the browned pork and any accumulated juices. Stir and bring the stew to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 1 ½ hours or until the meat is very tender. Skim any excess fat off the surface.

Add the beans and simmer for 5 minutes, or warm them up and place on the side. Serve in deep bowls topped with the butternut squash.

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This is a simple stew with flavors reminiscent of Morocco or Moorish Spain. Serve with saffron or cilantro rice, if desired.

Spiced Lamb Stew

Makes 6 servings

2 medium eggplants

1 tablespoon kosher or sea salt, plus more for seasoning

½ cup golden raisins

4 tablespoons red wine vinegar

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 pounds lamb stew meat (ask your butcher to cut into 1-inch cubes)

2 medium white onions, peeled and chopped

4 large cloves garlic, peeled and slivered

1 large poblano chile, seeded and stemmed and cut into large dice

2 cups chopped, seeded ripe tomatoes or canned, diced tomatoes in juice

3 tablespoons honey

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ cup chopped parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh mint

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cut the eggplants into 1-inch cubes, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon kosher salt and set aside in a colander to drain.

Mix raisins with vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.

In a large, heavy oven-proof Dutch oven or similar pot, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and brown lamb, in two batches if necessary. Remove lamb with a slotted spoon and set aside in a large bowl.

Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat and reduce the heat to medium. Saute onions, garlic and chile until softened and very lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove and add to the lamb.

Rinse eggplant and dry thoroughly. Heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in the same pan and saute eggplant over high heat until lightly browned and softened, about 4 minutes.

Add reserved lamb and onion mixture, raisin mixture, tomatoes, honey, cinnamon and parsley and season liberally with salt and pepper. Mix well. Cover and bake 45-50 minutes or until meat is tender. Stir in mint just before serving.

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The great virtue of beef brisket is that it is marbled with fat between the connective tissue. This tissue, when cooked slowly in an oven or smoker or braised in a flavorful liquid, melts and the fiber of the meat softens to yield one of the most succulent pieces of meat I can imagine. Brisket has become a very “in” cut and certainly one of the most versatile whether part of a K.C. or Texas barbecue, sliced for a Southeast Asian Pho or corned for St. Patrick’s Day. This is one of my favorite recipes for this humble cut of meat. Like most stew or braises, it’s even better the next day!

Brisket Braised in Coffee

Makes 6 - 8 servings

4 tablespoons olive oil

4 pounds brisket of beef, trimmed of excess fat if necessary

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 large onions (1 ½ - 2 pounds), sliced

¼ cup sliced fresh garlic

2 tablespoons (or more) ancho or chipotle chile powder

2 teaspoons each whole fennel and cumin seed

⅔ cup brown sugar

⅔ cup apple cider vinegar

4 cups strong brewed coffee

1 cup rich meat or mushroom stock

1 can (14 ½ ounce) diced tomatoes in juice

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil to a deep pot or Dutch oven and quickly brown the brisket on both sides, seasoning liberally with salt and pepper. Remove the meat from the pot, discard the fat and wipe out the pot.

Back on the stove, add the remaining oil and saute the onion and garlic until just beginning to color. Add the chile and saute for a minute more or until fragrant. Add the spices, sugar, vinegar, coffee, stock and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Return meat to the pot, cover and place in a preheated 300-degree oven for 3 - 3 ½ hours or until meat is very tender.

Remove meat and set aside. Puree the braising liquids and vegetables until smooth and season to taste with salt and pepper. Return meat to the pan and add enough of the pureed sauce to not quite cover the meat. Return pot to oven and bake uncovered for 30 - 45 minutes more or until brisket is nicely glazed. Serve cut thinly across the grain or “pulled” (shredded) with the warm pureed sauce spooned over.

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This is a classic Mexican recipe that falls into the soup/stew world and can be made with pork, chicken or even goat. The salsa Colorado is usually stirred into the stew before serving.

Posole Blanco with Chicken

Serves 8 - 10, generously

2 small white onions, peeled and halved

6 large garlic cloves, peeled

2 large bay leaves

2 teaspoons whole cumin

6 cloves

Salt and freshly ground pepper

3-4 pound roaster chicken, trimmed of excess fat

2 29-ounce cans white posole (hominy), drained and thoroughly rinsed

Salsa Colorado (recipe follows)

Garnishes (use any or all):

4 cups green cabbage, finely shredded

1 bunch radishes, finely sliced

2 cups white onion, finely diced

1 large avocado, peeled, seeded and diced

Dried Mexican oregano (see note below)

Cilantro sprigs

Lime wedges

Add onions, garlic, bay leaves, cumin, cloves, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 3 quarts water to a large, deep pot and bring to a boil. Add the chicken and bring to a simmer. Cover, lower heat to a slow simmer and cook until meat is very tender, about 1½ hours. Remove chicken and when it’s cool enough to handle, discard skin and bones and coarsely chop or tear the chicken into bite-size pieces.

Strain stock. (If making ahead, first refrigerate; then you can easily remove and discard the fat on top.) Remove as much fat from the stock as you can, add the hominy and chicken and bring to a simmer. Adjust salt and pepper to taste and serve with the salsa and other garnishes on the side, with each guest adding what they like.

Salsa Colorado

Makes about 1 cup

8 guajillo chiles, seeds and stems removed

6 chiles de arbol, stems removed

3 large garlic cloves

1 cup white onion, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried, preferably Mexican, oregano (see note below)

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons or so organic sugar

Salt, to taste

In a small skillet, toast the guajillos, chilies de árbol and garlic over moderately high heat until toasted in spots and fragrant. Set aside. Be careful not to burn them or they will become bitter. Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the chiles and, off heat, let them soak for 15 - 20 minutes, with a small plate on top to keep them submerged.

Peel the garlic. Add olive oil to a small saute pan along with the onions and cook over medium heat until lightly toasted. Remove chiles from the water and put in a blender along with the garlic, cumin, oregano, vinegar, sugar and salt. Add enough of the soaking water to make a smooth salsa. Can be made ahead and stored refrigerated for 7 days.

Note: Mexican oregano is a bit different from Mediterranean oregano. It has a more floral flavor and is related to lemon verbena. You certainly can use Mediterranean oregano in its place.

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If you grew up in the South, this dish is probably familiar. It’s a Low Country classic and its origin is somewhat controversial. The English have a similar dish with a similar name and believe it came from a British officer who brought the recipe back from his station in India. Others maintain the dish originated in Savannah, Georgia, which was a major shipping port in America for the spice trade. There are probably as many variations on this recipe as there are cooks who prepare it.

Country Captain Chicken Casserole

Makes 4 servings

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 plump chicken whole leg-thighs

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

6 slices bacon, chopped

2 tablespoons garlic, finely chopped

2 cups poblano or green bell peppers, cored, seeded and chopped

3 cups onion, chopped

2 tablespoons Madras-style curry powder, or to taste

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes with basil

1 cup or so chicken stock or dry white wine

½ cup golden raisins or currants

2 bay leaves

4 cups steamed fragrant white rice, such as basmati

¼ cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

¼ cup toasted dried and shredded coconut, optional

Combine the flour, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour and shake off excess. Heat a large Dutch oven or deep skillet with the oil over moderately high heat. Add chicken, skin side down, and cook, turning once, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.

Discard all but 1 tablespoon oil from the pan, add bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the garlic, peppers and onions to the Dutch oven and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the curry and cook, stirring for another 1-2 minutes or until curry is fragrant. Add tomatoes, stock, raisins and bay leaves and season to your taste with salt and pepper.

Add the reserved chicken to the Dutch oven, nestling it into the sauce; spoon some of the sauce over chicken. Cover and cook the chicken at a simmer until it’s very tender, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Serve on top of rice topped with the reserved bacon, peanuts and coconut.

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Everyone needs at least one tasty tofu dish to convince nonbelievers that tofu can be really good. Just look at it as a blank canvas ready to take on just about any global flavor you throw at it! This is a quick dish, and you could substitute any seasonal vegetables you like, such as bean sprouts, eggplant or wedged cabbage.

Thai Curry with Tofu and Zucchini

Makes 4 - 6 servings

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 large white onion, cut into large dice

2 small red bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, ribs removed and cut into large dice

2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste, or to taste

2 cups hot vegetable stock or water

2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 (14 ½-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk, stirred

2 medium zucchini, trimmed, quartered lengthwise and cut into chunks

1 12- to 14-ounce package firm tofu, drained and cubed

Handful basil leaves, torn (preferably Thai basil)

Fresh lime wedges

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet. Add the onion and stir-fry until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Add the peppers and stir-fry for 1 minute.

Dissolve the curry paste in the hot stock, then add to the wok along with the fish sauce, sugar and coconut milk. Bring to a simmer, then add the zucchini and tofu. Cover and simmer 6-8 minutes, until the zucchini has softened.

Just before serving, add the basil. Serve with lime wedges to squeeze in as desired.

Note: Thai red curry paste and fish sauce are available in Asian markets and the ethnic foods section of many supermarkets.

John Ash is a Santa Rosa chef, teacher, James Beard award-winning cookbook author and radio host of KSRO’s “Good Food Hour” airing at 11 a.m. Saturday. He can be reached through his website, chefjohnash.com.