As soon as the weather turns cool my family starts longing for this hearty stew. It’s one of my favorite Sunday traditions during the fall. I like to prep it in the morning and let it simmer all day. Then in the evening I quickly bake the cornbread and soon we have a warm and welcoming meal that tastes and feels just like autumn.
| PREP: 15 minutes | COOK: under 2 hours | COOL: none |
1 pound beef stew meat, cut into 1½-inch chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons (½ stick) salted butter
1 white onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
4 carrots, peeled and cut into ¼-inch dice
3 celery stalks, cut into ¼-inch dice
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon garlic salt
One 32-ounce box beef broth
One 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
One 14.4-ounce can gold and white corn, such as Del Monte, undrained
1 large russet potato, scrubbed and cut into ¾-inch cubes
1 cup frozen peas
Jalapeño Cornbread, for serving
1. Lightly season the beef with a pinch each of salt and pepper. In a large soup pot, heat the butter over medium heat until the foam subsides. Add the beef and sauté it until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.
2. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and sauté until the vegetables are tender but not fully cooked, about 10 minutes. Stir in the flour, garlic powder, garlic salt, and 1 teaspoon each of kosher salt and pepper. Cook for 1 or 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until well combined.
3. Add the broth, tomatoes, corn and its liquid, and potato. Add up to 1 cup water if necessary to ensure that the ingredients are covered. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the meat and potatoes are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes.
4. Add the frozen peas and simmer, uncovered, until the peas are cooked but still bright, 5 to 10 minutes. Ladle the stew into bowls. Serve immediately with the cornbread on the side.
5. Store leftovers in a covered container for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Makes 8 to 10 servings