How to make a rich, hearty-textured, fully-flavored beef and pumpkin stew in under an hour? Wrap quicker cooking sirloin for tough stew beef, use sweet carrot to highlight the flavor of the pumpkin and build a complex flavor base with miso paste and Brandy. Trust me, you won’t miss the other two hours of cooking time!

Homemade vegetable stock is quick and simple. You can have a flavorful liquid in under an hour. In fact, it will cook in the time it takes you to prep ingredients for a stir-fry or to start sautéing meat, and will be ready just in time to make a delicious pan sauce or a quick bowl of ramen.