Stew is a great hearty winter meal. My dad makes a killer beef stew recipe that I look forward to every year. But some stew recipes aren't as delicious.
It's made from vinegar, molasses, anchovies, garlic, tamarind extract, sugar, salt, and chili pepper extract. “For me, a liberal amount of Worcestershire sauce makes all the difference,” said u/TRIGMILLION.
If your stews are tasting bland time and time again, consider adding some apple cider vinegar. As an acid, it adds some dimension to your dish that was missing before.
You can add some umami flavor to your stew simply by adding, “mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, or just straight up MSG by adding Accent,” according to u/wvraven.
Adding some tomato to your stew adds a richness that can't be matched with anything else. You can cut up or mash fresh tomatoes to add to the pot, but using tomato paste, tomato concentrate, or other tomato-based products can be just as good.
The best stews are usually “properly seasoned with lots of salt. Extremely simple ingredient lists can be just fine as long as the dish has the right amount of salt in it,” said u/Siamese_Trim.
Adding some parsley, oregano, basil, or thyme into your stew can really make or break the flavor. But simply tossing these ingredients on top of your stew won't do the trick — you should be adding them before your vegetables and meat.