Jeannette Pépin, Jacques Pépin's mother, served this red wine–beef stew at her Lyon restaurant, Le Pélican, where she would cook tougher cuts of meat into a rich, luscious, comforting dish.

As a result, canned beef stew has been my saving grace on the nights I don't have the time to cook an entire meal. So, I decided to taste four brands of canned beef stew — Progresso, Campbell's ...