What is 'perpetual stew?' TikTok obsessed with chef's stew that never ends

TikTokers has been left baffled by a never-ending “perpetual stew” being made by a chef to feed hungry New Yorkers.

On TikTok, food trends and recipes come and go, capturing people’s imaginations for a time before the next thing comes around.

The latest to grab the spotlight is one woman who is making a never-ending dish called a perpetual stew.

Perpetual stew is a popular recipe from the Medival times that is made by continuously simmering the stew while topping up the ingredients to keep it going. It is rarely, if ever, drained fully.

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Because it is so often strained and skimmed, it leaves behind “only dark, rich broth” according to How Stuff Works, making it very tasty and good for you.

TikToker Annie Rauwerda has grown a large following by documenting the process of making the 14th-century Polish stew.

What does TikTok think of perpetual stew?

Rauwerda shared her first post about starting the process of making perpetual stew on 11 June. In the video, she said: “I’ve always wanted to do it. I’m finally doing it. It’s perpetual stew summer.”

She shared a screenshot from the Wikipedia entry for perpetual stew, which claimed that, if properly maintained, the stew can continue cooking for “decades or longer”.

In the next video about the stew, Rauwerda invited people to her house and everyone had to bring an ingredient to add to the stew. The ingredients included garlic, carrots, parsley, potatoes, onions, chives, celery, fennel and rice.

Rauwerda explained in another update that someone added dill to the stew and that it was overpowering the flavour, adding, “I can't wait until we’re done with this batch”.

She also invited people who live near Bushwick in New York to come and have some stew or bring an ingredient to add to it to message her.

Rauwerda began having stew parties outside to give the stew to New Yorkers who wanted to try it. In her most recent update, posted four days ago, she said the stew has now been cooking for 38 days.

TikTokers have jumped fully on board with the perpetual stew, with some saying they now want to move to Brooklyn, New York to be part of it.

One person commented: “I’m literally so proud of u for making this stew I absolutely love this!!!!!!”

Another wrote: “I’m being 100 per cent for real when I say I’m thinking about moving to Bushwick from Chicago so that I can contribute to the Stew.”

“I’m visiting NYC for the first time in December and the stew is on my itinerary lol,” another hopeful fan wrote.

Someone else said: “I’m not in New York but tbh I’d buy perpetual stew merch.”

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