Beef Stifado (Στιφάδο)

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 2 hours 15 minutes

Total time: 2 hours 35 minutes

Servings: 6 servings

Country of Origin

Greece

A rich, fragrant Greek stew featuring tender chunks of beef slow-braised alongside dozens of whole pearl onions in a sweet, spiced red wine and tomato broth infused with cinnamon, cloves, and bay leaves.

Presentation & How It's Eaten

Laddled hot into deep bowls, ensuring plenty of whole pearl onions and rich sauce accompany the meat. Served alongside crusty sourdough bread or over rice.

Ingredients

• 1 kg (2.2 lbs) chuck roast, cut into 1.5-inch cubes

• 750g (1.6 lbs) small pearl onions, peeled whole

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 cup dry red wine

• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

• 400g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes

• 2 tbsp tomato paste

• 1 cinnamon stick

• 3 whole cloves

• 2 bay leaves

• Salt and black pepper to taste

Step-by-Step Directions

1. Sear Beef: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a dutch oven over high heat. Season beef cubes with salt and pepper and sear in batches until browned. Remove beef.

2. Sauté Onions: Add remaining olive oil to pot and add peeled whole pearl onions. Sauté gently over medium heat for 8 minutes until lightly browned. Remove onions.

3. Deglaze & Build Broth: Add garlic to pot for 1 minute, then pour in red wine and red wine vinegar to deglaze. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, cinnamon stick, cloves, and bay leaves.

4. Simmer Stew: Return seared beef to pot. Cover tightly, lower heat, and simmer gently for 1 hour 15 minutes.

5. Add Onions & Finish: Add whole pearl onions back into pot. Cover and simmer for another 45 minutes until beef and onions are melt-in-your-mouth tender and sauce has thickened. Discard cinnamon and bay leaves.

Cooking Tips

• Peel Pearl Onions Easily: Trim root ends of pearl onions and submerge in boiling water for 1 minute; skins will slip off effortlessly when squeezed.

Nutrition Facts

(Estimated per serving)

• Calories: ~540 kcal

• Total Fat: 32g

• Saturated Fat: 8g

• Cholesterol: 105mg

• Sodium: ~620mg

• Total Carbohydrates: 22g

• Dietary Fiber: 4g

• Sugars: 11g

• Protein: 38g