By: Amanda Beierman

As warmer weather transitions into cooler weather, we naturally crave warmer meals, known as comfort meals. These comfort meals often look like slow-cooker meals, cooked in roaster kettles on the stovetop and most of them involve cooking low and slow. This type of cooking usually consists of different cuts of meat that you don’t reach for as often in the summer when the grills and smokers are fired up. 
 

Fall & Wintertime Favorites

I usually reach for beef first, and the cuts that are my favorite for fall/wintertime cooking include bone-in roasts such as chuck or arm roasts, tenderized cube steaks, stew meat, and, of course, ground beef! These cuts are also extremely easy to prepare and freeze, making them available for busy days or a great meal at supper time! 

These tougher, more collagenous cuts of beef come from the connective tissues or tougher cuts of beef, making them more delicious to slow cook. This, in turn, makes it harder for anyone who is not as comfortable cooking to mess up in the cooking process! 

There are so many more benefits of cooking a warm, comfort meal as the seasons change. We naturally crave warmer meals in the cooler temperature months because it’s a way to heat up our body temperatures and bring us to a more relaxed state as it continues to get colder. Another benefit includes mood boosting. Usually, these beef cuts pair well with carbohydrates, whether in soup, stew or pasta or just pairing it with a good scoop of mashed potatoes. Between the carbs and a warm source, it is known that comfort meals can also boost moods since winter months usually have less sunlight and outdoor time. 

Below are a couple of my favorite comfort meals! I hope you are able to make one of these dishes on a cold day and that it brings you warmth, joy and comfort!