More Flavor, the Easy Way
 | Author:
Eileen Clarke - Rifles and Recipes
Author: Rifles and Recipes |
More Flavor, the Easy Way
Eileen Clarke
Rifles and Recipes
I own three skillets, each with a 10” browning surface, while my 5-quart Lodge Dutch oven has a respectable 9” surface, but that’s not enough room to brown this much meat in one batch. How much steak can a 10” skillet brown without creating that ugly, foamy, steamy stuff that ruins flavor? About 6-7 ounces of paper towel-dried meat. What you get instead of ugly foam is the Maillard Effect. Nothing to do with ducks, unless you’re browning them too, it’s the sweeter, deeper flavor that enriches the flavor of soups, stews and chilies. One other thing that helps. I switched from chicken and beef broths and bouillons to bases many years ago. But until BTB© (Better Than Bouillon) took over the market, they weren’t very easy to find, and they were pretty pricey. BTB fixed that, though I do go out of my way to always buy the reduced-sodium version of BTB. Everyone knows just how much salt they like in their meals, and I prefer to let people add it at the table.
PS: You will have leftover Moroccan spice, but it’s delicious as a dry rub on wild meats, or on fried eggs, baked potatoes, and just about anything else you can imagine. (A teaspoon or two at a time, though.)
Spicy Moroccan Stew
Makes 8 cups/2 quarts.
Ingredients
8 ounces bacon, chopped
1½ pounds red meat, cubed
4 cups hot water
3 tablespoons chicken BTB (reduced sodium)
1 cup diced carrots
1½ cups frozen pearl onions, thawed
2-4 tablespoons oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons Moroccan Spice Mix*
1 teaspoon ground cumin
*Moroccan Spice Mix
1 tablespoon non-iodized salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
2 teaspoons ground ginger
2 teaspoons ground turmeric
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Cooking
1. Divide the bacon and cubed red meat in batches small enough to brown properly. Wrap the red meat in a couple of layers of paper towels to catch the excess moisture. Then, start a 3-quart Dutch oven or soup pot on high with the chicken BTB (and no, that’s not a typo), carrots and pearl onions. When it comes to a low boil, turn the heat down to a simmer.
2. In a large skillet on medium heat, start 1 tablespoon of oil, and lightly brown the first batch of bacon. As the bacon gets browned, add the cubed meat to the pan and brown it as well. Repeat for the second and subsequent batches, how many depending on the browning surface of your skillet. Transfer all to a bowl as it is browned. Add the onion and garlic to the bacon leavings and sauté until softened. Return the meat to the skillet (all the meat juices in the bowl as well) and stir 2 tablespoons of the spice mix plus 1 teaspoon more of cumin into the onions and meat chunks so they’re well coated.
3. Add the meat/onions/seasoning mixture in the skillet to the soup pot; bring it to a simmer. Simmer 30 minutes covered, to develop the flavors. (While that skillet is still hot, ladle a cup of the broth into it, rub up the tasty bits from the bottom of the skillet, and add them to the soup.)
4. When the carrots are tender, serve hot with hard rolls.
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Image 1 Caption: Eileen with her antelope
Photo Credit: Eileen Clarke
