Stifado is a magnificent Greek stew that showcases the magic of slow cooking. The dish is characterized by an abundance of small pearl onions - traditionally using as many onions as there is meat - which become sweet and caramelized during the long braising process.
Our stifado features chunks of beef braised for hours in red wine with tomatoes, garlic, and a bouquet of warming spices including cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and bay leaves. The pearl onions are added whole and become meltingly tender, almost sweet, providing a perfect counterpoint to the rich, deeply-flavored meat.
This is the kind of dish that fills your home with incredible aromas as it cooks. The sauce becomes thick and glossy, coating each piece of meat in a complex, wine-dark gravy. We serve it with crusty bread for soaking up every last drop, or over creamy mashed potatoes or orzo pasta.
Our stifado features chunks of beef braised for hours in red wine with tomatoes, garlic, and a bouquet of warming spices including cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and bay leaves. The pearl onions are added whole and become meltingly tender, almost sweet, providing a perfect counterpoint to the rich, deeply-flavored meat.
This is the kind of dish that fills your home with incredible aromas as it cooks. The sauce becomes thick and glossy, coating each piece of meat in a complex, wine-dark gravy. We serve it with crusty bread for soaking up every last drop, or over creamy mashed potatoes or orzo pasta.
Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 3 hours
Serves: 6
Medium
Ingredients
1kg beef chuck, cut into large chunks
750g pearl onions, peeled
1 cup red wine
400g crushed tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, whole
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
4 allspice berries
3 bay leaves
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
750g pearl onions, peeled
1 cup red wine
400g crushed tomatoes
3 tbsp tomato paste
4 cloves garlic, whole
2 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
4 allspice berries
3 bay leaves
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Instructions
1. Season beef with salt and pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven and brown meat in batches. Set aside.
2. In the same pot, sauté pearl onions until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Add wine to pot, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, and vinegar.
4. Return meat to pot. Add cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and bay leaves. Add water to barely cover.
5. Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 hours. Add pearl onions and cook another hour until meat is very tender.
6. Remove spices. The sauce should be thick and glossy. Adjust seasoning.
7. Serve hot with crusty bread, rice, or orzo.
2. In the same pot, sauté pearl onions until golden, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.
3. Add wine to pot, scraping up browned bits. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, garlic, and vinegar.
4. Return meat to pot. Add cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and bay leaves. Add water to barely cover.
5. Cover and simmer on low heat for 2 hours. Add pearl onions and cook another hour until meat is very tender.
6. Remove spices. The sauce should be thick and glossy. Adjust seasoning.
7. Serve hot with crusty bread, rice, or orzo.
