Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
Of course I couldn't say no to the invitation to follow a master class from forefoot to stew! As you know, I love stews and almost every week there is a pan stewing on my simmering plate. The smell, the taste, the meat I love it. And if you get the opportunity to learn a lot more about this, you will of course jump in your car. This time it brought me to IJmuiden. And I can tell you that is quite a drive from Brabant. Anyway, you have to have something for your passion, right? René Pluijm and Gertjan Kiers
Pluijm's world
The masterclass was given in René Pluijm's cooking studio. You probably know this cook from the program Pluijm's Edible World on RTL4. And what wonderful programs they are. Always close to nature, pure products and little frills. A bit like the man himself, actually. And what an honor for me to meet this man in person and to be able to cook with him.
When I arrive at the quay where they are located, there is already a nice fire burning outside. A mid-winter BBQ why not?! I was running a little late so I quickly went in and joined the rest. That's where Laura Crawley, manager of Bord Bia Amsterdam, just started her speech.
Masterclass from forefoot to stew: Irish beef
Ireland is the main supplier of grass-fed beef to the Netherlands. We love this type of meat here, making it the third most important export market for Ireland. Here we mainly choose the forefoot because it lends itself extremely well to stews. What particularly appeals to us here in the Netherlands is that the animals live outside for most of the year. The Bord Bia quality mark is a quality mark that is given to food that must meet extremely high standards.
Animal welfare, water, food and nature conservation play a major role in this. All member companies are inspected and products tested. Here we are constantly looking for new insights and/or circumstances. Being allowed to and being able to wear the quality mark therefore certainly has a great significance.
The “Demoslager”
You can't miss him when you enter Gertjan Kiers. What a huge tough man that is! Arms full of tattoos and razor-sharp knives in hand. And then as a total surprise we start the master class with a poem written by him. An ode to Ireland's second home. And so it turns out that this hunk of a man is a tough guy with a small heart.
Together with him we walk to the cooking area where he starts with a large piece of citron. With his knife he cuts off pieces of the hunk of meat left and right and also fires a mega amount of information at us. Everyone gets a chance to ask their questions as they start boning a brisket.
stew
The main ingredient for a good stew is therefore a good piece of meat. A piece of meat with enough fat in any case. That will add flavor to your stew. Gertjan tells us that time is most important. Don't rush, just take your time. The ideal temperature is around 72 degrees. Meat should feel good in the pan, as if it is in a nice warm bath. While the brisket is being stripped of the bones, I quickly walk outside. There René is grilling the piece of citron on the BBQ.
You normally stew this in the pan for hours and hours, but you can also eat it like a steak. We all get a piece to taste and it tastes so good! If you want to see Gertjan and René Pluijm at work, look here the weekly vlog of week 49. Here you can see and hear how hard it is to bone a piece of meat.
Grab a bite
The long table is nicely set and we all take a seat at it. And then there are three delicious courses. We start with a piece of black pudding. Well normally I would say no but I taste it anyway. I didn't regret that! Slightly crispy, full of flavor and very tasty. Then it's time to taste the stew. And you can taste that the flavors have been well absorbed! Nice with a good shot of whiskey in it, enjoy. Finally, of course, dessert, but to be honest I was already full…
Masterclass from forefoot to stew
During lunch I chat with the people around me at the table and of course photos are taken of all courses in all kinds of ways. Because we are and will always be food bloggers! All in all, I thought it was a very instructive afternoon. With enough inspiration and a kiss on my cheeks from both gentlemen, I went back home to Brabant.
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René Pluijm and Gertjan Kiers