Spanish Beef Stew: tender or hard?

We just ate out at a tapas restaurant, and I ordered a dish titled "Spanish Beef Stew" which, when it arrived, had an amazing tasting sauce/gravy, and all the pieces of meat were tough, difficult to chew, and similar in consistency with beef jerky.



I've had the Cuban version of this dish [I think it was called "ropas viejas" (old clothes)] and the meat was tender, and the sauce was similar in flavor: beefy, bay leaf-ish, a hint of red wine flavor.



In searching the internet, I've only found recipes where the stew should have meat that is cooked until tender.



I was unhappy with the dish I received at the tapas place, but want to be sure that it wasn't just that it was food I was unused to. Are there any dishes out there at all that incorporate a hard beef into the stew? Or did I just get a bad plate, or is the restaurant making their own version of the dish?



If there's *any* version out there with hard beef, I'd be interested to know.Spanish Beef Stew: tender or hard?
the first place must have tried to use a real cheap piece of meat instead of a piece they should have used like top round that didn't have as much connective tissue , the more connective tissue the tougher the piece of meat will be and will have to be cooked longer, either they used a tough cheap piece of meat and didnt let it cook long enough. ropa veijas is usually cooked all day and its cooked in a red sauce , of spice and tomato product and a spice mixture called recaito they sell it in all spanish stores . the meat should be cooked until it becomes shredded . It is usually served with rice and plantains so next time you go to have this dish , ask the chef what cut of meat he used and how long did he cook it for . thats the only way you will get a great meal.Spanish Beef Stew: tender or hard?
Stew Meat are chunks of meat that are used as an ingredient for a dish containing stewed meat and vegetables. Fresh stew meat is usually taken from the tougher cuts of beef, pork, or lamb because the stewing process tenderizes the meat. The chunks or cubes are usually bite size, but they can be smaller or larger depending on the recipe or personal preference. The best beef stew meat is from the chuck because it is very flavorful.



Tougher meats come from most-used muscles in the animal and slow cooking allows them to grow tender and release their deep flavor over time, so it infuses the whole of the stew.



So what i can tell you is that they did not stew it for the a long time so that it would be a tender beef.



You can do that yourself at home,but make such that the veggies are soft.

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• 2 years ago
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