Beef stew with tomatoes?

[ziggystardust]

I'm doing a beef stew in the slow cooker today and trying to think of ways to kick it up a bit. I thought of adding a can of stewed tomatoes, good idea or bad?

[gilintx]

In general, the acid in the tomato will cut the richness of the beef. Whether you use paste, sauce, stewed tomatoes or even juice is totally your call. Keep an eye on the proportions and you should be fine.

[ziggystardust]

Thanks guys, I'm going to try it out.

[wyogal]

If you have stewed tomatoes, and not tomato paste, go for it. I don't like diced tomatoes because they don't break down.

[monavano]

I stick with tomato paste and red wine. Don't forget bay leaves!

[megjp]

I usually use tomato paste in beef stew, or plain diced tomatoes. If you're looking for richer undertones, I can suggest a hit of molasses if it's available..if you're looking to brighten it a bit, a splash of red wine vinegar should do the trick.