Beef Stifado With Pearl Onions
A traditional Greek-style beef stew slowly braised with whole pearl onions, red wine, tomato, cinnamon, cloves, and allspice until rich and tender.
Instructions
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Step 1
Preheat the oven to 160°C.
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Step 2
Pat the beef dry and place it in a mixing bowl. Season it with 1 ¼ tsp (8 gr) salt and all the black pepper.
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Step 3
Heat 2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil in the Dutch oven over medium heat. Sear the beef in batches until browned on several sides, transferring each batch to a clean rimmed plate.
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Step 4
Add the remaining 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil and the pearl onions to the pot. Cook over medium heat, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, then transfer them to a clean bowl.
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Step 5
Add the garlic, tomato paste, oregano, allspice, and ground cloves to the pot. Stir over medium heat until fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
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Step 6
Pour in the red wine and vinegar. Scrape up the browned residue and simmer over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by about one-third.
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Step 7
Return the beef and its collected juices to the pot. Add the tomato, beef stock, cinnamon, bay leaves, sugar, and remaining ⅝ tsp (4 gr) salt; bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then cover and transfer to the oven.
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Step 8
Stir the browned pearl onions into the stew. Cover and continue braising at 160°C until the beef is fork-tender and the onions are soft but intact.
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Step 9
Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Let the stifado rest uncovered for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutrition (Estimated)
Food safety
Caution: medium
Prevent cross-contamination after handling raw beef. The prolonged braise should take the beef well beyond the minimum safe internal temperature of 63°C and make it tender. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours and reheat them to 74°C.
Risk factors
- handling raw beef
- hot oil during searing
- heavy covered pot and hot steam
- cooling a dense meat stew