Heard a customer at the market ask for 'the leanest cut' for a stew and I had to step in.

This was at the Saturday farmers market in my town. The guy was buying chuck roast for a slow cooker stew but kept pointing to the eye round, saying he wanted no fat. The vendor looked a bit stuck. I was next in line and just said, 'Hey, sorry to butt in, but for stew you want that chuck fat. It melts down and makes the whole thing rich. The lean stuff gets tough and dry.' The customer seemed surprised but listened. It made me think about how much basic knowledge we take for granted. What's one common piece of advice you find yourself giving over and over to customers?

3 comments

3 Comments

elizabethblack14d ago

Ever tried a stew with no fat?

julia923d ago

Ugh, my friend did that with pork shoulder for pulled pork. She bought a super lean cut and it came out dry and stringy. The fat is the whole point for that kind of cooking.

tara1514d ago

Oh man, that happens all the time! People get this idea that fat is always bad, but it's what makes cheap cuts taste amazing with a long cook. I see it with folks trying to cook chicken breasts for hours and wondering why it's like rubber.