Description
Beef Stifado brings traditional Greek comfort straight to your kitchen table, with tender meat slowly simmered in rich tomato sauce and sweet pearl onions. Warm spices and red wine create a deeply satisfying meal that connects you directly to the heart of Mediterranean cooking.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 2 lbs beef
- 1 lb small onions
- 2 cups crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup red wine
Supporting Ingredients:
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
Seasonings and Spices:
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- Salt
- Pepper
Instructions
- Pat 2 lbs of beef chunks dry with paper towels to ensure perfect browning. Season generously with salt and pepper.
- Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven at 375°F. Sear beef chunks in batches for 3-4 minutes per side until a deep golden crust forms. Transfer browned meat to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium and add 1 lb small onions to the same pot. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes until they turn translucent and slightly golden.
- Crush 4 cloves of garlic and add them to the onions. Cook for an additional 1 minute until their aroma releases.
- Pour 1 cup of red wine into the pot, scraping all caramelized bits from the bottom. Let the wine simmer and reduce by half, approximately 4 minutes.
- Stir in 2 cups of crushed tomatoes, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 bay leaves, and 1 tsp dried oregano. Blend the ingredients thoroughly.
- Return beef chunks to the pot and add 2 tbsp red wine vinegar and 1 tbsp honey. Stir to combine all flavors.
- Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours, checking occasionally to ensure the liquid doesn’t reduce too much.
- When beef becomes fork-tender, remove cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- Let the stew rest for 10 minutes before serving to allow flavors to meld. Serve piping hot with your favorite side.
Notes
- Browning the beef in batches creates a deep, rich flavor that develops a beautiful caramelized exterior on each piece.
- Choose a tough, marbled cut like chuck roast that will become incredibly tender after the long, slow cooking process.
- When simmering, keep the heat extremely low to prevent the meat from becoming tough and ensure a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- For a lighter version, substitute some beef with pearl onions or swap beef for lamb, which works beautifully in this traditional Greek stew.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
- Category: Beef
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Greek
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 5 to 6
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 10 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 28 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg