Equipment
Ingredients
Meat
- 1000 g beef chuck roast, trimmed of hard fat and cut into 4cm cubes
Vegetables
- 750 g pearl onions, unpeeled initially
- 750 g waxy potatoes, peeled and cut into large 5cm chunks
- 4 garlic, minced
Liquids and Base
- 60 ml extra virgin olive oil, divided use
- 250 ml dry red wine, room temperature
- 30 ml red wine vinegar
- 500 ml beef broth, low sodium
- 30 g tomato paste
- 400 g crushed tomatoes, canned
Spices and Seasonings
- 1 cinnamon stick, whole
- 4 whole cloves
- 4 whole allspice berries
- 2 bay leaves, dried
- salt
- black pepper
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Drop the unpeeled pearl onions into the boiling water and blanch for exactly 1 minute. Drain and immediately transfer to a bowl of ice water. Once cool enough to handle, trim the root ends slightly with a paring knife and squeeze from the top to slip the onions out of their skins. Set the peeled onions aside.
Heat half of the extra virgin olive oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the beef cubes completely dry and season generously with salt and black pepper. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef until deeply browned on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes per batch. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the browned beef to a plate. Thoroughly wash your hands, cutting board, and any utensils that touched the raw beef to prevent cross-contamination.
Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining olive oil to the Dutch oven. Add the peeled pearl onions and saute gently until lightly browned in spots, about 8 minutes. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and set them aside in a separate bowl.
In the same pot, add the minced garlic, tomato paste, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, allspice berries, and bay leaves. Stir constantly until the tomato paste darkens to a brick red and the spices are highly fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Pour in the dry red wine and red wine vinegar. Bring to a vigorous simmer, scraping up all the browned bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Let the liquid reduce by half, which will take about 3 minutes.
Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and beef broth. The liquid should just barely cover the meat. Bring the stew to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer gently for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
After 90 minutes, uncover the pot and carefully fold in the reserved pearl onions and the potato chunks. Ensure the vegetables are submerged in the liquid. Cover the pot again and continue to simmer gently for another 45 to 60 minutes. Check that the beef is meltingly tender, reaching an internal temperature of at least 90°C/194°F to ensure proper collagen breakdown, and the potatoes offer no resistance when pierced with a fork.
Remove the pot from the heat and let the stew rest for 15 minutes before serving. This allows the sauce to thicken slightly and the meat to reabsorb juices. Skim any excess fat from the surface and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves if visible. Serve hot.
Chef's Notes
- Blanching the pearl onions is a crucial professional technique that saves an immense amount of prep time. The hot water loosens the skin perfectly. The key is to barely trim the root so the onion layers remain anchored together.
- Waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or Charlotte are heavily preferred for this application as they hold their cellular structure during the long, acidic simmer. Starchy baking potatoes will dissolve and ruin the clarity and texture of the sauce.
- Authentic Stifado utilizes a surprising volume of whole warm spices. If you prefer not to hunt for cloves and allspice berries before serving, tie them in a small pouch of culinary cheesecloth and submerge the pouch in the stew alongside the bay leaves.
- Do not skip the red wine vinegar. The sharp acidity is an essential counterbalance that cuts through the rich beef fat and balances the deep, caramelized sweetness of the massive quantity of onions.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Flavors deepen significantly after resting overnight. Store in an airtight container.
Freezer: 3 months — Potatoes may become slightly grainy upon thawing; consider freezing the stew without potatoes and adding fresh boiled potatoes when reheating.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat until piping hot, adding a splash of water or broth to loosen the sauce if it has thickened too much.
