Description
This traditional Greek Beef Stifado is a rich and flavorful beef stew slow-simmered with whole shallots, aromatic spices, and red wine, resulting in tender meat infused with a beautifully balanced blend of cinnamon, cloves, and allspice. Perfect for a comforting family meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Marinade
- 3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch chunks
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- ¼ cup olive oil, divided
Aromatics and Spices
- 15–20 shallots, peeled
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 whole cloves
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon dried oregano
- ½ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon sugar
Liquids
- 6 ounces tomato paste (1 small can)
- 1 cup dry red wine (good quality)
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
Garnish
- Fresh parsley, for garnish
Instructions
- Brown Beef: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the beef chunks generously with salt and black pepper. Add the beef in batches to avoid overcrowding and brown each batch thoroughly on all sides. Remove and set the beef aside.
- Sauté Shallots: Add the remaining olive oil to the pot, then add the peeled shallots. Sauté them over medium heat until they soften and turn golden brown, enhancing their natural sweetness, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
- Simmer Stew: Return the browned beef to the pot with the shallots. Stir in the tomato paste, dry red wine, and beef broth. Add minced garlic, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, bay leaves, dried oregano, ground allspice, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for about 2 hours or until the beef is fork-tender and the flavors meld together beautifully.
- Season and Serve: Taste the stew and adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper as needed. Remove the cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve the stifado hot, paired with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or rice pilaf for a hearty meal.
Notes
- For deeper flavor, brown the beef in batches without overcrowding the pot to ensure proper caramelization.
- Peeling shallots can be expedited by blanching them briefly in boiling water before peeling.
- Using a good quality dry red wine is crucial as it greatly affects the stew’s rich flavor.
- Simmering the stew low and slow allows the beef to become tender and absorb all spices fully.
- Remove whole spices like cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves before serving to avoid overpowering bites.
- This stew tastes even better the next day as the flavors continue to develop.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours 5 minutes
- Category: Stew
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Greek
