Beef Chuck

John C. Ryan, Murphysboro, Ill.
"My wife used to make a better chili than I do, which is how this recipe got its name."

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.

Khoresht Gheimeh This Persian stew recipe is adapted from the one that chef Homa Khakpour serves at Shiraz Kabab Cafe and Food Market. It's a terrific main course, which she pairs with chelo (steamed rice with melted butter). Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 hr

Naomi Wagman Kirstein of Danvers, Massachusetts, writes: "I would love to have the recipe for the West Indian beef stew served at The Golden Lemon Inn & Villas on St. Kitts, in the West Indies." The green olives in this recipe cut the richness of the stew by adding a slightly pungent flavor.<

Pass grated cheddar cheese and extra salsa at the table.

This recipe was inspired by Aunt Gladys's beef, from Laurie Colwin (Gourmet, January 1992), and Nathalie Waag's leg of lamb with tomatoes and garlic (Gourmet, September 1986). The best chuck roasts for this recipe come from the supermarket—fancy butcher shops' meat is too lean and often becomes dry when cooked.

This Swedish stew called Sjömansbiffgryta is one of the most typical family stews, which every Swede knows. This is one of those "lots of bang for the buck" types of stews. It's so simple, yet the taste it delivers is so satisfying. It is best to cook it in an enameled cast-iron casserole because it goes into a very hot oven for quite a while, and all the liquid gets absorbed and the casserole becomes a little crusty. I know it seems like an awfully long time to keep a stew in such a hot oven, but trust me, it works. You can deglaze the casserole with a bit of water if you like and pour it over the stew, which should be transferred to a serving bowl.

This tiny meatloaf should not be overbaked! Once removed from the oven, it will keep cooking for a few minutes. The chili sauce is the American kind, not the Asian.

This hearty, comforting stew comes together in just one pot and in a fraction of the time as most traditional beef and barley soup recipes.

Chill out with this spicy beef noodle soup recipe that boasts both chile heat and a steaming broth. The two kinds of heat work in tandem to cool you down.

Comforting slow-braised pot roast makes a flavor 180 by enlisting all the bright, spiced flavors of the classic ginger-rum cocktail.

This homey one-pot stew boasts a short ingredient list but tons of complex flavors, built over three hours in a mostly hands-off braise.

This succulent beef and black pepper stew is a set-it-and-forget-it meal finished with bright, fresh peas.

Chef Chris Rogienski shares the best pot roast recipe, featuring tender oven-braised beef chuck in tomatoey gravy, topped with tangles of bright pickled onions.

Ghormeh sabzi is one of the most celebrated Iranian stews. Andy Baraghani’s recipe includes lamb shoulder, onions, tons of fresh herbs, dried limes, and dried fenugreek leaves.

You can call it beef bourguignon if you want to sound fancy—nobody has to know how much easier it is than the French classic.

Make a big pot of this rich, meaty chili, a side of cornbread, and then never leave the couch.