Pat: My brothers and I have always been good eaters. As you can imagine, this meant a lot of work for our momma—feeding five hungry boys was no easy task. We all played football, and would come home after practice absolutely ravenous, ready to eat everything in the house. Lucky for us, she specialized in hearty dishes like spaghetti, lasagna, pot roast—and this rich stew. Packed with vegetables, tender beef, and a savory broth, it managed to satisfy my brothers and me . . . at least for a few hours. When the first fall chill sets in, I find myself drawn back to Momma’s cooking, so this stew remains a Neely staple (these days, however, we make it with more red wine). It’s a great weekend recipe, when you’ve planned a day of projects around the house, because it requires only a bit of up-front work—then you get to enjoy the intoxicating smell of the stew as it simmers. Although I live in a home with three girls, don’t be fooled: They hold their own when it comes to projects and this stew (they can polish off plenty of both). As Gina says, “Everyone has an inner pig that needs to be set free once in a while.”

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　3 pounds trimmed boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes

　　Kosher salt

　　Freshly ground black pepper

　　6 tablespoons butter

　　3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

　　2 large onions, chopped

　　1/4 cup tomato paste

　　3 cups dry red wine

　　Two 14 1/2-ounce cans beef broth

　　1 tablespoon dark-brown sugar

　　1 1/2 pounds baby red-skinned potatoes, quartered

　　One 10-ounce package baby carrots, rinsed

　　1 pound fresh cremini mushrooms, stemmed, caps thickly sliced

　　3 tablespoons whole-grain mustard

　　3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

　　

Step 1

Place the meat in a large bowl and season generously with salt and pepper. Melt 4 tablespoons of the butter in a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, toss the meat with the flour; add to the pot, and brown on all sides. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meat to a plate.

　　

Step 2

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in same pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Mix in the tomato paste and then the red wine. Bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Add the broth and sugar, then the browned beef and any accumulated juices. Bring to a boil; reduce the heat, and simmer, partially covered, 1 1/2 hours, until the beef is very tender.

　　

Step 3

Add the potatoes and carrots, and simmer, uncovered, until the vegetables are tender, about 25 minutes. Add the mushrooms, mustard, and parsley; simmer until the mushrooms are tender, another 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

　　From Down Home with the Neelys by Patrick and Gina Neely Copyright (c) 2009 by Patrick and Gina Neely Published by Knopf.Patrick and Gina Neely are owners of Neely's Bar-B-Que in Memphis and hosts of several Food Network shows, including the series Down Home with the Neelys, one of the highest-rated programs to debut on the popular Food Network. High school sweethearts who reconciled at their ten-year reunion, they have been married since 1994. They live in Memphis with their two daughters.Paula Disbrowe collaborated with Susan Spicer on Crescent City Cooking and is the author of Cowgirl Cuisine.