Stifado

Name: Stifado
Cook time: 345 min
Total time: 345 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 250ml Dry Red Wine; 60ml Red Wine Vinegar; 2 cloves of Garlic, sliced; 1 sticks of Cinnamon; 6 Allspice Berries; 2 leaves of Bay Leaf; 6 Black Peppercorns; 1.3 kg Chuck Beef, cut into large chunks; 700g Small Pearl Onions, peeled; 400g Crushed Canned Tomatoes; 2 tbsp Tomato Paste; 4 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil; 2 cloves of Garlic, minced; 250ml Beef Stock; 1 tsp Sugar; 1 1/2 tsp Fine Salt, plus more to taste; 4 Cloves

Stifado is a hearty Greek beef stew of tender braised meat and sweet pearl onions simmered in a fragrant red wine–tomato sauce with warm spices like cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Slow-cooked until meltingly tender, it develops deep, savory flavors with a hint of sweetness—perfect with rice, mashed potatoes, or crusty bread.

Stifado is a hearty Greek beef stew of tender braised meat and sweet pearl onions simmered in a fragrant red wine–tomato sauce wit... Show more

Traditional Greek Recipe

Health Grade

A · Excellent

Rating

4.2

Time

5 hrs30 min

Price

3,58 €

Calories

667 kcal

healthy

one pot

gluten free

high protein

Method

Prep the ingredients

Cut the beef chuck into large, even chunks. Peel the small pearl onions, then slice 2 cloves of garlic for the marinade and mince 2 more cloves for the stew.

Marinate the beef

In a bowl, stir together dry red wine, red wine vinegar, the sliced garlic, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, bay leaves, and black peppercorns. Add the beef, turn it to coat well, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Drain the beef

Lift the beef out of the marinade, let the excess drip off, and pat the meat dry with paper towels. Set the marinade aside so you can add it to the pot later.

Brown the beef

Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches so it gets a deep crust instead of steaming, then add the onions and cook until they start to turn golden. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, just until fragrant.

Build the stew

Pour in the reserved marinade and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Add the crushed canned tomatoes, beef stock, sugar, fine salt, and the whole cloves. Bring the pot to a gentle boil, then lower the heat, cover partially, and simmer for 2 hours, stirring now and then, until the beef is tender and the onions are soft.

Reduce the sauce

Uncover the pot and cook for 20 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick, glossy, and clings to the beef. Pull out any visible whole spices before serving.