That’s mistake number one — in math and in cooking.
Season the meat generously with salt and pepper.
Heat olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat.
Brown the meat in batches.
Not all at once.
Crowding the pan lowers the temperature, just like rushing through a problem lowers accuracy.
Step 2: The False Confidence Phase
Remove the meat and set it aside.
Lower the heat slightly.
Add onions to the same pot.
They’ll soak up the browned bits — the hidden information people overlook when they jump to conclusions.
Cook slowly until translucent.
Add garlic.
Then tomato paste.
Stir and let it darken slightly.
This step looks optional.
It isn’t.
Skipping it is like ignoring order of operations.
Step 3: Assemble the Equation
Return the meat to the pot.
Add carrots, potatoes, celery.
Sprinkle in spices.
Add bay leaf and thyme.
Now pour in broth and water (or wine).
Everything is submerged, balanced, accounted for.
At this moment, the stew looks finished.
Just like the math problem looks solved.
But it’s not.
Step 4: The Part Everyone Tries to Skip
Bring to a gentle boil.
Then reduce heat to low.
Cover partially.
Simmer for 2½ to 3 hours.
This is where impatience ruins everything.
People lift the lid too often.
They crank the heat.
They assume more intensity means faster results.
It doesn’t.
It just makes the meat tough and the sauce thin.
What This Teaches (Without Saying It Out Loud)
That viral math problem doesn’t fool people because it’s hard.
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