Perpetual stew


A perpetual stew, also known as 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 foodstuffs blend together, in which the flavor may improve with age.

Examples

Perpetual stews were common in medieval cooking, often as pottage or pot-au-feu:
A perpetual stew was maintained in Perpignan from the 15th century until World War II.
Between August 2014 and April 2015, a New York restaurant served broth from the same perpetual stew for over eight months.

Ingredients

Various ingredients can be used in a perpetual stew, such as root vegetables and tubers and various meats and game meats.