As the nights get chillier, our minds turn to thoughts of beef stew. Our favorite recipes all instruct you to dredge your beef chunks in flour first, and then pan-sear, which seals in juices AND acts as a thickener later in the cooking process. It’s hearty, satisfying, and will make your kitchen smell fantastic for days. Make it once, and you won’t need a recipe again.

Our Favorite Beef Stew
Adapted from a recipe by Ina Garten

Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 pounds chuck beef, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 (750-ml bottle) red wine
• 2 whole garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Olive oil
• 2 yellow or white onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 or 5 carrots peeled and cut diagonally in 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms, cut in 1/2
• 4-5 potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 in chunks
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 large branch fresh rosemary
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Method:

Place the beef in a bowl with red wine and garlic. Refrigerate overnight.

Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper. Lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and save. In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly. As each batch finishes cooking, place the beef in a large crock pot and continue to brown the remaining beef, adding oil as necessary.

After all beef is browned, heat another 2 tablespoons of oil in the large pot and add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Place all the vegetables in the crock pot over the beef. Add 2 1/2 cups of the reserved marinade to the empty pot and cook over high heat to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock, rosemary, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the crock pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer for 2 1/2 – 3 hours, or until meat is tender and liquid reaches desired consistency.

Serve hot with egg noodles or rice.

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