FOOD NEWS
12 Hacks That Will Totally Change The Way You Make Soups And Stews
BY MARY FAWZY
Remove Excess Grease
Too much fat can ruin the taste and texture of soups and stews, but luckily, there’s an easy way to remove excess fat using a ladle filled with ice cubes.
The ice will chill the ladle so that when you dip it into the stew, the grease solidifies right onto its outer layer. Wipe the ladle clean and repeat until all the grease is gone.
Microwave Roux
Made of butter and flour, a roux is a simple thickener, but if you don’t want to stand over the stove constantly stirring to make one, try using the microwave.
Instead of butter, start with oil and whisk it with flour until the clumps are gone. Then pop it in the microwave until it reaches the color you prefer, light or dark.
No-Waste Stock
A flavorful vegetable stock is made of many ingredients, and the best way to ensure yours has a depth of flavor is to use veggie scraps to make homemade stock.
Instead of throwing away leftover vegetable cuttings, keep them in a bag in the freezer until you accumulate a variety of flavors. Then just boil them in a pot to create a stock.
Searing Shortcut
Beef stew is a classic comfort meal made by searing beef before adding it to your soup. For a shortcut, try searing your beef on just one side instead of all sides.
Searing helps the meat develop a rich, caramelized flavor. By searing one side, you lose a bit of the richness of flavor but retain the same overall taste while saving time.
Stale Bread Hack
Chewy, dry, or hard bread may have limited uses, but it can be soup's best friend when transformed into a crunchy crouton garnish or added right to the soup.
Blending bread into soup instantly thickens it and adds a delicious, creamy flavor. You can also forgo the blending and leave in chunky bits of flavorful, soaked bread.