Name: Black Pepper Beef Stew
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: ⅓ cup plain whole-milk Greek yogurt; 1 Tbsp. plus 1 tsp. freshly ground pepper; 1 2" piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped, divided; 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped, divided; 1 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. Diamond Crystal or 2¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt, divided, plus more; 2 lb. boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1" pieces; ⅔ cup (or more) vegetable oil, divided; 2 medium onions, quartered, thinly sliced; 1 jalapeño, finely chopped; 2 Tbsp. ground coriander; 1 Tbsp. garam masala; 1 tsp. cumin seeds; 4 oz. snow peas, trimmed; 4 oz. sugar snap peas, trimmed; Cilantro leaves and steamed rice (for serving)

A bowl of beef stew topped with bright green peas served with a side of rice and cilantro

Photograph by Isa Zapata, food styling by Thu Buser, prop styling by Gerri Williams

Consider this recipe a love letter to the humble black peppercorn—one of those often-used but underappreciated spices. Chunks of beef are marinated in yogurt, ginger, garlic, and freshly ground pepper, then seared all over, building flavor for the stew from the ground up. Then they’re simmered until tender while the liquid cooks down to a thick, rich sauce. This recipe is inspired by my Indian roots and uses garam masala powder, which harnesses the power of spices like cumin, bay leaves, cloves, and cinnamon to make a deeply spice-forward and complex stew. Add both snow peas and sugar snaps toward the end for a bright green finish.

What you’ll need

Dutch Oven
$100 At Amazon
Wooden Spoon
$9 At Amazon
Ladle
$35 At Amazon

Recipe notes

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