Stifado (Greek Beef Stew)
by Jay Wadams
This rich and sumptuous recipe for Stifado comes from my good friend Deirdre Guthrie, owner of the Gardens of Irini in Bellapais, Cyprus. The secret to this dish is the long, slow cooking time, which makes the flavours extraordinarily intense and the meat meltingly tender. It's perfect for a night in the mountains of Bellapais, sitting until late under the stars and listening to some of Deirdre's amazing stories.
Ingredients
- 2 Tbsp plain flour
- 1 kg stewing beef/chuck steak cut into 3cm chunks
- 2 Tbsp olive oil
- 12 pearl onions baby onions or shallots, peeled
- 3 garlic cloves chopped
- 500 ml red wine
- 400 g can chopped tomatoes
- 75 ml red wine vinegar
- 1 Tbsp Worcester sauce
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste/tomato purée
- 4 bay leaves
- 2 tsp oregano
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp allspice berries
- 2 beef stock cubes
- 10 dried apricots optional
- 10 prunes optional
- salt & pepper
- sea salt and black pepper
Scan the QR Code to view the online recipe with detailed instructions, photos, hints, tips and more at daysofjay.com
Instructions
- BROWN BEEF: Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°C / Gas 4. Put the flour in a bowl or ziplock bag, season well with salt and pepper, then toss the meat in the seasoned flour. Heat the oil over high heat in a flameproof casserole dish or wide Dutch oven and brown the meat all over, working in batches. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
- COMBINE INGREDIENTS: Over medium heat, cook the onions or shallots in the same dish until golden. Add garlic, red wine, tomatoes, vinegar, Worcester sauce, herbs and spices, stock cubes, apricots and prunes. Bring to the boil, stirring often, then return the meat to the dish with any resting juices.
- BRAISE: Transfer to the preheated oven and cook, tightly covered, for 2-3 hours until you have really tender chunks of beef- add water if necessary part way through cooking if the sauce is reducing too quickly.
- SERVE: Serve with garlicky broad beans, honey-roasted carrots, baked jacket potatoes, or fresh, crusty bread.
Notes
Note: Stifado can be cooked on the stovetop or in the oven. If cooking on the stovetop, be VERY mindful at the end of the cooking time as the sauce reduces and can catch. I recommend cooking in the oven for the best results.
Nutrition
Serving: 1bowl | Calories: 908kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 51g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 18g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 864mg | Potassium: 1844mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 1111IU | Vitamin C: 18mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 9mg