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Stifado served
Rich and spicy Greek beef stew with pearl onions

Stifado

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
Stifado is the aromatic, warming Greek beef stew, with roots stretching back to Venetian times (from the word 'stufato'). Its distinctiveness comes from the abundance of small onions and surprising seasoning: cinnamon and cloves don't make it a dessert, but add deep, complex flavour to the sauce. During slow cooking, tough beef becomes tender, whilst the sweetness of the onions balances the acidity of the tomatoes and wine.
🕒 Prep Time 40 mins
🍳 Cook Time 2 hrs 30 mins
⌛ Total Time 3 hrs 10 mins
🍽️ Servings 6 servings
🔥 Calories 520 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Greek

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Heavy-bottomed pot (e.g., cast iron): For even heat retention.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Sulphur dioxide (wine)

Instructions

1 ✓

Sear the beef cubes in batches in hot oil until dark brown, then remove.

Tip: If you put all the meat in at once, the pan cools down, and the meat releases juice instead of browning (failure of Maillard reaction).
2 ✓

In the same oil, fry the peeled whole onions for 5-10 minutes until browned in spots, then set aside.

Tip: Frying caramelises the outer sugars of the onion, giving finer flavour and helping keep them whole during cooking.
3 ✓

Pour wine and vinegar into the pot, bring to a boil whilst scraping up stuck browned bits. Boil for 2 minutes.

Tip: Evaporating the alcohol is important so the dish isn't bitter or sour.
4 ✓

Return the meat, stir in tomato purée, spices (cinnamon, bay, cloves, allspice, nutmeg, salt, pepper) and enough water to just cover. Simmer covered on low heat for 1.5 hours.

Tip: Collagen-rich cuts (shin) need time and low heat (approx 70-80°C internal) for collagen to turn to gelatine and become succulent.
5 ✓

Add the pre-fried onions and cook for a further 40-50 minutes until the meat is tender and onions are soft.

Tip: If the sauce is too thin, remove lid at the end and reduce to desired thickness.

Recipe FAQ

Why do the pearl onions stay whole?
Because we don't slice them, just peel them. The outer layers protect the inside from falling apart, so they become creamy inside but retain bite.

Ingredients

  • 1 kg Beef shin or neck (cut into large cubes)
  • 1 kg Pearl onions (or small shallots)
  • 4 cloves Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Tomato purée
  • 200 ml Dry red wine
  • 3 tbsp Red wine vinegar
  • 50 ml Olive oil
  • 1 stick Cinnamon
  • 2 whole Bay leaves
  • 5 whole Cloves
  • 5 whole Allspice berries
  • 1 pinch Nutmeg
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Black pepper