Kitchen rescueMeat, fish and vegetablesUsually saveable

How to fix a stew that's catching on the bottom of the pan

Take the pan off the heat and don't stir or scrape. Ladle the stew into a clean pan, leaving the stuck layer behind, then taste it and carry on cooking over a lower heat.

How you can tell

  • The stew is sticking to the base of the pan when you stir
  • You can smell a scorched or toasty smell
  • Dark bits appear when you scrape the bottom

Why it happens

A stew catches when the food at the base of the pan gets hotter than the rest and starts to stick and scorch. Thick stews, and those with starchy ingredients such as potatoes, lentils or flour, move around less in the pan, so the bottom layer stays in contact with the heat. A thin pan, a high heat, or a stew that has reduced too far all make it worse. If you catch it before it burns, the rest of the stew usually tastes fine.

How to fix it

Option 1Move it to a clean pan

  1. Take the pan off the heat straight away
  2. Ladle the stew into a clean pan without scraping the bottom
  3. Taste it, and if it tastes fine, carry on cooking over a lower heat with a splash more liquid

Option 2Deal with a burnt taste

  1. If the stew now tastes burnt, follow the fixes for a burnt taste
  2. If the whole stew tastes strongly burnt, save any pieces that taste fine and start a fresh sauce

Next time

  • Use a heavy-based pan or casserole dish
  • Keep the heat low and stir now and then, scraping the bottom
  • Add a splash of liquid if the stew is getting too thick
  • Cook long stews in the oven, where the heat is gentler and more even

Terms on this page

General kitchen guidance, not food-safety advice. If food may be unsafe, for example undercooked meat or anything left out too long, follow the Food Standards Agency and throw it away if in doubt.