This is the recipe that really cemented my love of cooking, or at least that’s how I remember it. I first made it about twenty years ago in my tiny college condo kitchen. I remember that I found the recipe on a blog but I’ve long since forgotten which one, and I know that it was originally an Irish stew that called for Guinness, but since I don’t really like Guinness all that much I opted for red wine instead.

I can’t quite remember if I made it because friends were coming over or if they just happened to stop by and so I fed them, but what I definitely remember is this — We all sat around a crowded tiny table with a bowl of this stew and some bread to dip into it and everyone was completely silent as they ate. I remember looking around the table at all these normally rowdy, chatty guys and no one said a single word until they were finished. It was the best compliment I could’ve gotten.

I’ve been making this stew every since, usually once a month in the colder parts of the year. It changes a bit from time to time, but what stays the same is that it always has plenty of carrots and potatoes and still that hefty pour of red wine. It’s a little like a brothier Bouef Bourguignon and I am totally fine with that. It’s the kind of thing that gets even better the next day and it freezes very well.

You want about a pound of a half and stew beef cut into chunks an inch in size and you want to start by seasoning those and searing them nicely on all sides. (You could toss them in flour first if you like a thicker broth, but I like this just the way it is.) You definitely want to work in batches to avoid over-crowding the pan and steaming the beef instead of really browning it.

Once they’re browned, you can just remove them to a plate while you work on the next batch, and then it’s time to add some garlic, and then some tomato paste, beef stock, red wine, a little sugar, and some thyme and rosemary. This takes two cups of red wine and I’ve always just used whatever I happen to have around, so don’t stress too much about the variety.

You’re going to let that beef simmer for about an hour, but while it’s simmering you’re going to start working on the vegetables in another pan. I know, two pans — I’m sorry. Basically, you’re going to soften the carrots and onions in butter for about twenty minutes. After that you can leave them to sit in the pan until the beef is done simmering.

Why not just throw them all in the same pot? The sauteeing really helps enhance the flavor and sweetness of both the onions and the carrots. It’s worth it, I promise.

After an hour of that beef bubbling away, you can add the carrots, onions, and potatoes into the main pot. From there, you want to keep simmering until the beef is very tender and breaks apart easily with a fork, about forty more minutes.

Twenty years later, it’s still my favorite thing to make (and eat!) when I want something cozy. It’s hearty but not too heavy and the red wine and beef broth is just so savory and flavorful. (The potatoes that soak that delicious liquid up are an extra special bonus.)