Adding beans to a beef stew - yay or nay?

[Anonymous]

I'm making beef stew in the crockpot tomorrow and was thinking of using less meat and adding some beans as I've been trying to eat less meat and more veg stuff, and trying to get DH on board with having less meat as well. Is this a bad idea? Has anyone tried it? This is my first time making beef stew.

[Anonymous]

OP here - fyi, the beans I have on hand are kidney beans, cannellini (sp?) and black beans.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm making beef stew in the crockpot tomorrow and was thinking of using less meat and adding some beans as I've been trying to eat less meat and more veg stuff, and trying to get DH on board with having less meat as well. Is this a bad idea? Has anyone tried it? This is my first time making beef stew.

Yuck! Beans do not belong in beef stew! Sorry! Just add more vegetables and have less meat. Try parsnips along with the carrots and potatoes. Save the beans for chili. There's a Cooking Light recipe for turkey chili that has beans, chickpeas and hominy with just a little meat that even my carnivorous husband will eat!

[Anonymous]

I'm with PP. No beans in the stew. Add some turnips along with the parsnips and carrots and a few red potatoes. I like creative dishes, but I'm a purist about some things and stew is one of them. Also, please don't ever even think about putting a mushroom anywhere near a tortilla. They're each great separately, but together? Never. Sorry for the digression. Good Luck!

[Anonymous]

It sounds weird, but would probably taste fine. I would add them at the end so they don't get mushy though.

[Anonymous]

I agree with pps - root veges (parsnips, turnips, potatoes, rutabega) yay; beans, nay.

[Anonymous]

Do barley instead. Beef barley stew is delicious.

[Anonymous]

OP here - thanks. You convinced me to skip the beans. I like the barley idea and just bought some the other day so I think I'll try that.

[Anonymous]

WTF? Of course you can put beans in a stew. Add a little sausage & call it cassoulet! Oo la la!

[Anonymous]

white beans... YAY!!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:WTF? Of course you can put beans in a stew. Add a little sausage & call it cassoulet! Oo la la!

yah, but that's sausage, chicken or duck, heavy on the rosemary, etc. Not browned beef, red wine, carrots, root veges, etc. Just different approaches.

Now I'm hungry...

[Anonymous]

Nay. Yay for chilli!

[Anonymous]

We add beans to almost every soup/stew we make, so I think it's just fine! Obviously I'm in the minority