Nigerian Beef Stew - Classic Nigerian Stew Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is Nigerian stew made of? ›

Depending on my mother's stock, the stew can have assorted meats like beef, chicken, cow skin, goat meat or even fish. For this version, she used bone-in beef. First she places the beef inside a large pot filled with water, herbs, spices and fresh onions. Once that's cooked, she begins making the stew.

For the actual stew, you'll need the following ingredients: 1-1.5 lbs beef (chopped into 1.5 inch cubes), 2 large tomatoes (I used beefsteak tomatoes; roughly chopped), 1 large red bell pepper (roughly chopped), 2 teaspoons of ginger (minced), 1 large onion (chopped), 2 cloves of garlic (minced), ½ scotch bonnet or ...

If were talking while it's being made; garlic, onion, various herbs, “horse chester sauce” tomato paste, stone ground mustard, or even a small splash of A1 sauce will all “rich up” the broth. So will sauteing the veggies in butter before adding to the stew. How do I spice up bland beef stew?

A stew is a combination of solid food ingredients that have been cooked in liquid and served in the resultant gravy. Ingredients can include any combination of vegetables and may include meat, especially tougher meats suitable for slow-cooking, such as beef, pork, venison, rabbit, lamb, poultry, sausages, and seafood.

Soup Uses More Liquid

In soup, the liquid is the primary ingredient. Soup can be completely liquified or it can consist of other elements (like meat and vegetables) that are fully submerged in water, stock, or broth. Stew, meanwhile, is typically "chunkier." It contains just enough liquid to cover the main ingredients.

Whisk a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew as it's cooking. Don't add dry flour directly to the stew as it may clump. After adding the slurry, bring the stew to boil. This will cook out the flour taste and allow the starch to swell.

But the liquid itself should not be thick in the same way that gravy is thick. So skip the roux, and don't bother dusting the meat with flour or cornstarch before browning, either, as some recipes will suggest. That will just interfere with getting a good sear on the meat, and gum up the stew with unneeded starch.

Start with leaner meat.

For a rich, succulent stew, resist the instinct to buy the gorgeously marbled piece of meat you would want for a steak or roast. Look instead for cuts with cartilage, tendons and (at least a few) bones: Chuck, brisket, oxtails, cheeks and shin are ideal.

The three main thickening agents for gravies are flour, cornflour and arrowroot. The first two are normally used in savoury dishes while arrowroot tends to be used in sweet dishes – that said, arrowroot will work in a savoury dish as it has no flavour.

Use cornflour or cornstarch.

Mix a tablespoon (5 grams) of cornflour or cornstarch into 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of water. Stir them together to make a paste, then add the paste to the stew. Stir the stew until the paste is fully mixed.

How long does Nigerian stew last in the fridge? ›

In an airtight container, the finished Nigerian beef stew can be refrigerated for a week, or frozen for up to 3 months; I prefer storing the meat and stew separately to help preserve the texture of the meat.

Potato starch naturally thickens soups and stews and can be a gluten-free option if you're looking to make a gluten-free stew. Add cubed potatoes to the stew to absorb excess liquid, or add potato flakes, mashed potatoes, or a potato purée to thicken your stew.

Today's post is one of the most common things you will find in Nigerian homes; Stew! It is actually called Obe-Ata (Pepper Stew in literal terms). Nigerians make stew in various ways, it is one of the easiest things to make.

Fufu is a very starchy food that is eaten in parts of West and Central Africa. It is made by boiling starchy root vegetables and then mashing them into a dough-like consistency. The ingredients vary depending on the region, but they often include cassava, yams, and plantains.