Stifado (Greek Beef Stew)
Stifado: This Greek Beef Stew is easy to make, and absolutely delicious!
Things to know:
What is a Greek stew stifado?
This hearty and comforting dish is perfect for the cooler months and is packed with deep, savory flavors. Beef Stifado is a classic Greek stew made with tender beef, slow-cooked in a rich tomato sauce, and flavored with pearl onions or shallots, cinnamon, and a touch of vinegar.
What’s the difference between stifado and stew?
Stifado can certainly be classified as a stew. It is a rich stew with whole pearl onions that is intensely spiced with flavors such as cinnamon, allspice, and cloves.
What cut of beef is best for stew?
The best cuts of beef for stew are chuck (which is our choice for this dish) and brisket, as their high levels of connective tissue and marbling become tender and flavorful after long, slow cooking. Other good options include short ribs and oxtail, which are also rich in fat and collagen. It’s best to avoid pre-cubed stew meat, which is often too lean, or premium cuts like sirloin or ribeye, which can become dry and chewy when cooked for a long time.
What are the spices in traditional stifado?
Over the centuries, stifado has evolved with each family and every Taverna (a traditional, casual restaurant serving Greek cuisine, often family-run, and is a central part of Greek social life), cooking their special recipe. It has a rich, slightly sweet tomato sauce infused with red wine, allspice, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon, garlic and juniper berries. Sometimes rosemary is added, but not in our house (The Director does not approve of rosemary) sometimes oregano.
What is the best bread to eat with stew?
For us, a good loaf of sourdough is always the answer, though some say pumpernickel or rye.
Ingredients:
2 ½ pounds boneless beef chuck-eye roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 t kosher salt, divided.
½ t pepper
3 ½ cups frozen pearl onions
½ t sugar
2 T tomato paste
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 t ground cumin
⅛ t ground allspice
pinch of nutmeg
2 tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 ¼ cups chicken broth
¾ cup dry white wine
1/3 cup cognac
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
Crumbled feta cheese
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Sprinkle beef with 1½ teaspoons salt and pepper; set aside.
2. Add the olive oil to a Dutch oven on medium high heat until the oil begins to shimmer.
3. Cook onions, oil, sugar, and remaining ½ teaspoon salt in the Dutch oven over medium-high heat until onions are softened and deeply browned, 10 to 12 minutes.
4. Add tomato paste, garlic, cumin, nutmeg and allspice and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
5. Add tomatoes and cook until tomatoes break down and mixture is darkened and thick, about 5 minutes.
6. Add broth, wine, cognac, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and beef to pot, scraping up any browned bits. Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, for 1 hour.
7. Remove pot from oven and stir to redistribute beef. Return pot to oven and continue to cook, uncovered, until meat is tender, 1½ to 2 hours longer.
8. Discard cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Skim excess fat from surface of stew.
9. Stir in parsley. Serve, sprinkled with feta cheese. ENJOY!
Equipment used:
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