Quick slow cooker question (beef & Guinness stew)

[Scam]

We're going to do my usual beef shin and Guinness stew today, but realise we need to get out and about, and not going to get back in time to do it on the hob (my usual method, in a casserole pan). So we're going to give it a go in the slow cooker. Time suggested seems to be 8hrs on low, but I'm getting confused about how much liquid to use. Most top tips suggest as little as possible due to it not evaporating, but then other tips suggest you need to cover the meat? We're aiming for a thick gravy so I'll definitely brown everything off first, deglaze the frying pan with the Guinness and then put it all in the slow cooker. But if the meat (1.4kg of shin) isn't covered, should I top up with stock or not bother?

Thanks!

 

[Kris_90]

I've never made that particular stew in the slow cooker but from experience it's difficult to get a thick sauce. I cook a beef stew ensuring everything is covered then transfer the liquid into a saucepan and thicken on the hob.

 

[Furyus]

always cover the meat! But then I'd say if it's looking a little watery, 30 Minutes before you serve it up, mix up some corn flour with a little water and that will thicken it up nicely.

 

[BinnsY]

always cover the meat! But then I'd say if it's looking a little watery, 30 Minutes before you serve it up, mix up some corn flour with a little water and that will thicken it up nicely.

This. Never done your specific dish but in my experience most things in a slow cooker want slightly less water and I've always found it difficult to get them to thicken up without resorting to dropping in a little corn flour in the last 30 mintues or so.

 

[Scam]

Well a little update. Usually I do about 1.2-1.5kg beef and stick in a can of Guinness and roughly the same of stock. I coat the beef in seasoned flour before browning.

For this I omitted the stock, just sprinkled a stock cube in the Guinness. The shin definitely created more moisture itelf in the slow-cooker, which meant there was quite a lot even considering I'd put flour on the beef, and mixed in some flour with the veg at the start. So I used another tip which was to put the slow cooker on high for 30-45mins at the end with the lid removed. Which worked a treat. Although perhaps slightly too well as I would have preferred more gravy. Doh

Damn good meal though!

 

[Avenged7Fold]

I always follow the rule of covering the meat but some cuts seem to add so much juice and shrink in size a little bit that you can afford to put less liquid.

Slow cooker or pressure cooker, i have always gone for more liquid if unsure and thicken up afterwords if need be. If the dish will have time to cool a little before being served or reheated - switching stock for the jelly ones are a great way to ensure the thickness natural gelatin gives you.

 

[-BA-]

The classic is to throw some oysters in it too