Warm water secret to melt-in-your-mouth meat stew

An aromatic and warming meat stew is the perfect addition to the fall-winter menu. However, it's only when the meat pieces melt in your mouth that the dish can be considered successful. So, how do you get closer to perfection? Pay special attention to the type of water you use to cook the meat.

Marinades, piercing, and long simmering are essential techniques that definitely help make the meat tender. However, all these efforts can be wasted if you pour cold water over the seared and ready-to-simmer meat. Why is that?

Preparing an aromatic stew with tender and delicate meat pieces is quite an art, but knowing a few rules can bring you closer to perfection. First, it’s worth searing the meat pieces on all sides. This way, they will gain more flavour. The seared meat should be simmered gently with aromatic spices. It's best to hold off on adding salt until the very end, as salting the contents of the pot too early can make the meat tough.

Long simmering over low heat allows the meat to become tender. It’s also worth treating the meat with a marinade beforehand. You can read more about meat-tenderizing marinades below:

Usually, seared meat is cooked with water (or broth) to become tender through prolonged simmering. However, it turns out that the temperature of the water added to the pot with the meat is of significant importance. It’s not about using a thermometer to measure the exact temperature, but remembering one rule.

The water you use to cook the seared meat in the stew should be hot. Pouring cold water over the warm meat will only make it tough and stringy, while warm, even hot water, is key to achieving meat that melts in your mouth.