Perpetual Stew (Pottage; Pot-Au-Feu)

[RaM]

The following discussion about "perpetual stew"[*] has been spun off from the Minor Strangeness thread.

[*] A perpetual stew, also known as forever soup, hunter's pot or hunter's stew, is a pot into which whatever one can find is placed and cooked. The pot is never or rarely emptied all the way, and ingredients and liquid are replenished as necessary. The concept is often a common element in descriptions of medieval inns. Foods prepared in a perpetual stew have been described as being flavorful due to the manner in which the ingredients blend together, in which the flavor may improve with age.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_stew

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Funny how leftovers of some foods taste better than first time around.
though it does not hold true with all food by any means.

 

[pandacracker]

Funny how leftovers of some foods taste better than first time around.

Cold curry for breakfast... delicious!

 

[escargot]

Funny how leftovers of some foods taste better than first time around.
though it does not hold true with all food by any means.

Yup, when I make meat casseroles for Techy he usually eats two-thirds on the first day and the rest the next. He swears it's better the second day.

 

[Ghost In The Machine]

Yup, when I make meat casseroles for Techy he usually eats two-thirds on the first day and the rest the next. He swears it's better the second day.

I do the same with chillis and curries. Always better the second day.

Medieval peasants just had a veg stew (pottage) cooking non stop, adding new stuff to it daily or when they could. Most of the stuff I eat (apart from chocolate my staple food) would have been pretty well standard fare for the average medieval monk or nun, I reckon. (Friday! Fish day!)

 

[Giant R]

I do the same with chillis and curries. Always better the second day.

Medieval peasants just had a veg stew (pottage) cooking non stop, adding new stuff to it daily or when they could. Most of the stuff I eat (apart from chocolate my staple food) would have been pretty well standard fare for the average medieval monk or nun, I reckon. (Friday! Fish day!)

Most one pot types of food taste better next day I think, also lasagne and left over cold pizza

 

[Floyd]

I do the same with chillis and curries. Always better the second day.

Medieval peasants just had a veg stew (pottage) cooking non stop, adding new stuff to it daily or when they could. Most of the stuff I eat (apart from chocolate my staple food) would have been pretty well standard fare for the average medieval monk or nun, I reckon. (Friday! Fish day!)

One batch of pot-au-feu was maintained as a 'perpetual stew' in Perpignan from the 15th century until World War II.

 

[escargot]

I do the same with chillis and curries. Always better the second day.

Medieval peasants just had a veg stew (pottage) cooking non stop, adding new stuff to it daily or when they could. Most of the stuff I eat (apart from chocolate my staple food) would have been pretty well standard fare for the average medieval monk or nun, I reckon. (Friday! Fish day!)

One batch of pot-au-feu was maintained as a 'perpetual stew' in Perpignan from the 15th century until World War II.

This 'perpetual stew' process may not be all it seems.

When I was about 20 there was a fad for discussing them. People swore there'd been one cooking continually on their grandmothers' stoves for as long as they could remember with bits of meat and vegetables added and taken away as the opportunity or necessity arose.

However, every time a group of students or holidaymakers tried it they'd all get ferocious food poisoning.
The craze soon passed.

 

[RaM]

The perpetual stew could be why when I was a kid every shop had a card with
little gadgets in them they were 2 metal washers with a red rubber or fibber
washer all held together with a screw, this could be used to repair pans and such
after you had burnt a hole in the bottom.

 

[escargot]

The perpetual stew could be why when I was a kid every shop had a card with
little gadgets in them they were 2 metal washers with a red rubber or fibber
washer all held together with a screw, this could be used to repair pans and such
after you had burnt a hole in the bottom.

That sounds like a pressure cooker valve.

 

[Giant R]

This 'perpetual stew' process may not be all it seems.

When I was about 20 there was a fad for discussing them. People swore there'd been one cooking continually on their grandmothers' stoves for as long as they could remember with bits of meat and vegetables added and taken away as the opportunity or necessity arose.

However, every time a group of students or holidaymakers tried it they'd all get ferocious food poisoning.
The craze soon passed.

Yes, that was my thought too. It may have been different in ancient times of course when we possibly had more resistance to that sort of thing and the philosophy 'if it runs past the pan it goes in it' but I think the only possible way would maybe have a pot of just veg cooking and take some out to add to cooked meat or whatever. Still not sure though.

 

[catseye]

Yes, that was my thought too. It may have been different in ancient times of course when we possibly had more resistance to that sort of thing and the philosophy 'if it runs past the pan it goes in it' but I think the only possible way would maybe have a pot of just veg cooking and take some out to add to cooked meat or whatever. Still not sure though.

Even veg is going to be pretty liquid if it's held at a reasonable temperature for any length of time. So I'd also guess that it was mostly water just held at simmering point over the fire and used to cook veg and/or meat. Probably also ladled out whenever hot water was needed for anything else too.

 

[escargot]

The perpetual stew could be why when I was a kid every shop had a card with
little gadgets in them they were 2 metal washers with a red rubber or fibber
washer all held together with a screw, this could be used to repair pans and such
after you had burnt a hole in the bottom.

Actually, now I come to think of it, I remember seeing those as well as the valves.

 

[Lb8535]

This 'perpetual stew' process may not be all it seems.

When I was about 20 there was a fad for discussing them. People swore there'd been one cooking continually on their grandmothers' stoves for as long as they could remember with bits of meat and vegetables added and taken away as the opportunity or necessity arose.

However, every time a group of students or holidaymakers tried it they'd all get ferocious food poisoning.
The craze soon passed.

I think the deal is that it has to be kept simmering all the time. I also know people who just keep it going and replenish it , and I can understand how if folks don't understand how hot it needs to be 24/7 (like students or temporary visitors) they might indeed get food poisoning.

 

[Floyd]

By comparison this was only started yesterday;
https://nypost.com/2019/07/29/this-scary-pot-of-soup-has-been-cooking-for-45-years/

 

[catseye]

I think the deal is that it has to be kept simmering all the time. I also know people who just keep it going and replenish it , and I can understand how if folks don't understand how hot it needs to be 24/7 (like students or temporary visitors) they might indeed get food poisoning.

It's going to have to be held practically at boiling point in order to kill all the nasties. Therefore most of the liquid will be evaporating and being replenished with water, so it will be questionable how much of the original will be left after a couple of days.

 

[escargot]

So, as we have posters who reckon they know how it's done, who's up for trying a perpetual stew?

I will add here that there is no chance whatsoever that I'd do it.

 

[Mythopoeika]

Such a stew would need careful management, to avoid nasty bacteria building up.
I wouldn't eat it.

 

[RaM]

I can remember the kettle being permanently on the simmer on the side of the fire but not stew

 

[Bad Bungle]

So, as we have posters who reckon they know how it's done, who's up for trying a perpetual stew?

I will add here that there is no chance whatsoever that I'd do it.

Digital pressure cooker: whenever I have a yearning for mince or chicken for pies or soup, I make a batch that will last 4-5 days (not usually deliberately). The pressure cooker heats above 100C and sterilises everything within 10 mins. As long as you reheat within 24 hours every day until the pot is empty, there is not problem with spoiling. My sister constantly adds leftovers to her pot and maintains it for a fortnight. The only caveat I would offer is not to include onions in pies or soups (or salads) as this makes everything sour very quickly.

 

[Lb8535]

It's going to have to be held practically at boiling point in order to kill all the nasties. Therefore most of the liquid will be evaporating and being replenished with water, so it will be questionable how much of the original will be left after a couple of days.

It is - and as left over soup and vegetable paring and cooking water are thrown in it keeps diluting whatever is in there. I do know that there are entire cultures that do this with no ill effects. It's used as soup or gravy base, I don't know of anyone who uses it for stew.

 

[JamesWhitehead]

who's up for trying a perpetual stew?

I have heard of Oriental businesses which boast of their soup-kettles kept bubbling for decades!

Didn't FT have a photograph of one such, once-upon-a-time? Or I saw it online . . .

It might all be as authentic as thousand-year-eggs but I think there is a law of diminishing returns!*

*As in returns of customers!

 

[IbisNibs]

Yup, when I make meat casseroles for Techy he usually eats two-thirds on the first day and the rest the next.

On those days, what do you eat?

 

[escargot]

On those days, what do you eat?

Not the casserole as I am vegetarian.

 

[EnolaGaia]

One batch of pot-au-feu was maintained as a 'perpetual stew' in Perpignan from the 15th century until World War II.

Also from the Wikipedia article on perpetual stew:

Between August 2014 and April 2015, a New York restaurant served broth from the same perpetual stew (a master stock) for over eight months.
Wattana Panich restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, has continued to maintain the broth from the same perpetual stew for over 47 years (as of 2022).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_stew

 

[Mythopoeika]

This reminds me of when I was a student. Two Nigerian students I knew separately would each do a '1-week stew', which they'd heat up every day and add ingredients, then let it cool down overnight. After a week, they'd clean the pan.
They reckoned that on each successive day, somehow the flavour had improved and it was the food of the gods by the end of the week.
I never tried any of it.

 

[Xanatic*]

I do wonder if these perpetual stews might not end up creating a whole new ecosystem of bacteria. A primordial soup/stew.

 

[catseye]

I'm of the opinion that if you've never heard of food poisoning, you don't get it.

I know SO MANY people with very questionable food hygiene practices, who just never seem to get ill from it. My mother used to make a pudding full of whipped cream and then leave it kicking around out of the fridge (apparently there 'wasn't room') on a hot day. We would eat some when it was fresh, but there would be left overs for days, often unrefrigerated. She'd eat it with relish.

And Old John, who told me his idea of opening a restaurant serving just a couple of dishes that were kept on a hot plate, and you served yourself your choice. I asked what he'd do with the stuff left over, and he was just going to keep re-heating it until it was all gone. He was ASTONISHED when I told him that you should really only reheat food once after cooking, and told me he'd been reheating stuff over and over again his whole life*!

*His whole life being 'when there wasn't an available woman to cook for him.'

 

[Mythopoeika]

I'm of the opinion that if you've never heard of food poisoning, you don't get it.

I know SO MANY people with very questionable food hygiene practices, who just never seem to get ill from it. My mother used to make a pudding full of whipped cream and then leave it kicking around out of the fridge (apparently there 'wasn't room') on a hot day. We would eat some when it was fresh, but there would be left overs for days, often unrefrigerated. She'd eat it with relish.

And Old John, who told me his idea of opening a restaurant serving just a couple of dishes that were kept on a hot plate, and you served yourself your choice. I asked what he'd do with the stuff left over, and he was just going to keep re-heating it until it was all gone. He was ASTONISHED when I told him that you should really only reheat food once after cooking, and told me he'd been reheating stuff over and over again his whole life*!

*His whole life being 'when there wasn't an available woman to cook for him.'

I guess some people may build up a resistance through regular exposure to 'food bugs'.

 

[escargot]

I'm of the opinion that if you've never heard of food poisoning, you don't get it.

Tell that to people who end up in hospital on drips, or the families of those who die of it!

Here's a recent example, from the Daily Mirror -

Pub chef's shepherd's pie kills woman, 92, and leaves 31 others ill

The chef, John Croucher, rushed the preparation of the meat and used it partly-cooked next day in the shepherd's pie.
Only the vegetarian customers escaped unscathed.

The lady who died, Elizabeth Neuman, was killed by a gastrointestinal haemorrhage caused by vomiting.
How traumatic that must have been, for all concerned.
Other sufferers must have been nearly as badly affected.

The pub's hygiene procedures were poor at the time. That's all been tightened up now.

I used to look after food poisoning patients in hospitals and saw how pitiful their condition could be. It's a sobering experience.

Was thinking this morning: if I made, say, a meat casserole and left some to cool, then forgot about it overnight, I'd bin it rather than risk food poisoning.
While I might be throwing away £5-worth of food that might be OK, it's worth £5 not to be ill.

If you were ill in bed with galloping D&V, how much would you pay for a cure? £1,000? £500? Whatever's in your purse?
How about a fiver?
Chuck that casserole away.

 

[Krepostnoi]

There's a famous restaurant menu featured in the work of an early Soviet writer - Zoshchenko? It reads: "borsch: 1 kopeck. Yesterday's borsch: 2 kopecks."

I also used to read the blog of a Yorkshire Chef, who, like Mytho's student mates, extolled the virtues of a perpetual stock pot: all the leftovers and makings would go in. By the end of the week, he said, all the kitchen staff would just dip bits of bread in for their meal breaks. Tightened hygiene regulations put paid to the practice, much to his regret.