Boiling gets the sweet carrot flavor out of the carrot and into the stew. It’s like onions and celery, the point is not to have mushy bits of formerly flavorful vegetables, but to have those flavors in the food. If you’re making a mirepoix for soup or stew, it is a mistake to leave big chunks or slices of carrot intact.
When my mom roasts a turkey, she puts onions, leek, celery and, yes, carrots around and under the turkey. She uses a rôtissoire that keeps most of the moisture inside, such that the turkey essentially bastes itself during the roasting.
Once the turkey’s done, she takes it out and uses the mix of juices and vegetables left in the pan to make the gravy. Sometimes, she’ll add one or two pouches of turkey gravy mix, especially if there’s a lot of people to feed and she wants to have more gravy, but sometimes, all she does is purée the veggies into the juices, maybe add some water and corn starch to thicken everything, and that’s our gravy! The carrots definitely add a sweetness, not to mention color to the gravy.
Some go in early to get that carrot flavor in the stock, which I like, but that makes them mushy and gross.
So I usually try and get the first carrots out before the potatoes go in, and then it’s kind of a guess on my end when to put more carrots in so they’re nicely cooked but not overdone.
I hate boiled carrots.
Boiling gets the sweet carrot flavor out of the carrot and into the stew. It’s like onions and celery, the point is not to have mushy bits of formerly flavorful vegetables, but to have those flavors in the food. If you’re making a mirepoix for soup or stew, it is a mistake to leave big chunks or slices of carrot intact.
Roasted carrots are different, though, I agree.
Carrots in a stew, great. Boiled carrots as a side dish? Let’s throw all that flavor down the sink. See you in hell aunt Ellen
When my mom roasts a turkey, she puts onions, leek, celery and, yes, carrots around and under the turkey. She uses a rôtissoire that keeps most of the moisture inside, such that the turkey essentially bastes itself during the roasting.
Once the turkey’s done, she takes it out and uses the mix of juices and vegetables left in the pan to make the gravy. Sometimes, she’ll add one or two pouches of turkey gravy mix, especially if there’s a lot of people to feed and she wants to have more gravy, but sometimes, all she does is purée the veggies into the juices, maybe add some water and corn starch to thicken everything, and that’s our gravy! The carrots definitely add a sweetness, not to mention color to the gravy.
And steamed carrots slap.
That’s assault. Or battery. Idk, I’m not a lawyer.
This is why there are varying carrots in my stew.
Some go in early to get that carrot flavor in the stock, which I like, but that makes them mushy and gross.
So I usually try and get the first carrots out before the potatoes go in, and then it’s kind of a guess on my end when to put more carrots in so they’re nicely cooked but not overdone.