Greek Beef Chuck Stifado

Name: Greek Beef Chuck Stifado
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: greek
Ingredients: 900 g beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 4 cm pieces; 600 g pearl onions or small boiling onions, peeled and kept whole; 4 clove garlic cloves, thinly sliced; 3 tbsp olive oil; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 400 g crushed tomatoes, good quality; 3 dl dry red wine; 3 tbsp red wine vinegar; 3 dl beef broth or water; 1 pcs cinnamon stick; 4 pcs whole allspice berries; 3 pcs whole cloves; 2 pcs bay leaves; 1 tsp salt; 0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped for serving

By Culiora

Grekisk stifado på högrev served on a plate, photographed in natural light

Classic Greek stifado is a hearty meat stew where tender beef is slow-cooked with an abundance of sweet pearl onions, red wine, cinnamon, and allspice. The rich sauce gets its characteristic balance from a splash of red wine vinegar that cuts through the sweetness of the onions. Traditionally served with rice, roasted potatoes, or rustic crusty bread.

Servings: 4
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 120 min
Total time: 150 min

Ingredients

900 g beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 4 cm pieces
600 g pearl onions or small boiling onions, peeled and kept whole
4 clove garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp tomato paste
400 g crushed tomatoes, good quality
3 dl dry red wine
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 dl beef broth or water
1 pcs cinnamon stick
4 pcs whole allspice berries
3 pcs whole cloves
2 pcs bay leaves
1 tsp salt
0.5 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped for serving

Instructions

Pat the beef pieces dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and black pepper.
Heat 1.5 tbsp of olive oil in a spacious Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches so the pieces develop a deep, golden-brown crust on all sides, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.
Add the remaining 1.5 tbsp of olive oil to the same pot and reduce the heat to medium. Add the whole peeled onions and brown them gently for 6–8 minutes until lightly colored on all sides without falling apart. Stir in the sliced garlic and tomato paste during the final minute, cooking briefly until the paste darkens.
Pour in the red wine vinegar and red wine. Scrape up all the flavorful browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon and let the wine reduce vigorously for 3–4 minutes until the alcohol has evaporated.
Return the beef and any resting juices to the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, cinnamon stick, allspice berries, whole cloves, and bay leaves. Stir gently to avoid crushing the onions.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover with a lid. Simmer gently over low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours until the meat is completely tender and the onions are soft but still hold their shape. Stir gently a couple of times throughout.
Remove the lid for the final 15 minutes if the sauce needs to reduce and thicken. Discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, then taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, black pepper, or a few drops of vinegar if needed. Sprinkle with chopped flat-leaf parsley before serving.