BEEF STIFADO (GREEK BEEF & ONION STEW)
Yield:
6
Ingredients
- 2.25 pounds beef chuck cut into about 3 inch chunks
- 24 shallots, peeled and left whole
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 cup beef stock or water
- 1 (22 ounce) can tomatoes
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon sugar
- 2 bay leaves
- 4-6 peppercorns
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2-3 whole cloves
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 and 1/2 cups water
- pinch red pepper flakes
Instructions
- In a pot, heat the oil over medium heat and add the peeled onions.
- Sauté for 5-10 minutes or until golden and soft.
- Remove the onions and set aside.
- Brown the beef in two batches in the pot.
- Do not add all the beef at once into the pot otherwise it will create too much steam and it will not brown properly.
- Do this in 2-3 batches.
- Place all of the browned beef back into the pot.
- Add all of the ingredients except the onions.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer.
- Simmer for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the sauce has thickened and the beef is tender.
- Check the seasoning and add some more salt if needed.
- Add the onions to the pot and shake it a bit so that they can settle in the stew.
- Stirring may cause them to fall apart.
- Simmer for 30 minutes more.
- Serve with rice, hearty bread or mashed potatoes.
- Enjoy!
I made your Stifado 2 days ago and, even though I’ve made it many times, this is the best recipe I’ve every used. I did it with mashed potato and carrot and it was just so tasty. Such a success that today I’m trying your fassolakia.
Thanks so much for these amazing recipes. I can’t wait to try more!