Stifado (Easy Greek Beef Stew)

A Greek beef stew or stifado in a red cast iron pot on a wooden board with a blue tea towel and with bread and bowls in the background.

5 from 1 vote

Stifado (Easy Greek Beef Stew)

A vibrantly flavored, rich, wine-infused Greek style beef stew! This is both humble enough to serve to your family midweek, and delicious enough to serve to guests. Once you've peeled the onions, the stovetop does the rest of the work. Serve simply with fresh crusty bread and plenty of feta cheese.

Prep Time20

Cook Time2

Total Time2 20

Course: main dish

Cuisine: Greek

Servings:

Author: Helen Schofield

Equipment

Large 7Qt Blue Dutch oven

Ingredients

18 baby onions peeled (pearl onions, shallots, small regular onions, or just bigger onions cut into quarters)
¼ cup olive oil
2 pounds beef (amount can be approximate) stewing steak, chuck, shin etc.
¼ cup all purpose flour (or use corn starch for gluten free)
4 large garlic cloves sliced thinly
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
3 bay leaves
2 sticks cinnamon (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1 teaspoon allspice berries (or ¾ teaspoon ground allspice if you can't find the berries)
5 cloves
1 teaspoon salt
¾ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup red wine
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar (or any vinegar if you don't have this)
14 ounces chopped tomatoes (1 can)
1 tablespoon tomato paste (concentrate)
1 cup beef broth (stock)
10 prunes (about a cup) Substitute with dried apricots, dried figs, dried cherries, or another dried fruit.
1½ teaspoons orange zest (about ½ an orange)

To serve (optional)

fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, cilantro
cheese such as feta, kefalotyri, pecorino, parmesan
fresh bread

Instructions

Start by peeling the onions. Then heat up the olive oil in a very large pot or pan with a lid. Saute the onions in the oil for around 3 to 5 minutes or until slightly softened. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon (or regular big spoon) and set aside.
18 baby onions, ¼ cup olive oil
Now toss the meat well in the flour. Brown it on all sides in the pan. Then add the garlic, oregano, bay leaves, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and salt and pepper, and stir-fry for a minute or so.
2 pounds beef, ¼ cup all purpose flour, 4 large garlic cloves, 1½ teaspoons dried oregano, 3 bay leaves, 2 sticks cinnamon, 1 teaspoon allspice berries, 5 cloves, 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon black pepper
Now add all of the other Greek stew ingredients - so softened onions, chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, beef broth (stock), prunes and orange zest. Push everything down into the liquid and put the lid on the pot. Simmer on a low heat for 2 to 3 hours. You can take the lid off the pot half an hour or so before the end of cooking to let the stew reduce/thicken a bit. On the contrary, if the stew is looking a bit dry, simply add a little more broth or water.
½ cup red wine, 3 tablespoons red wine vinegar, 14 ounces chopped tomatoes, 1 tablespoon tomato paste, 1 cup beef broth, 10 prunes, 1½ teaspoons orange zest
Let 'rest' for 10 to 15 minutes. Then serve in bowls with feta cheese (or kefalotyri, parmesan, pecorino) scattered over and fresh bread to mop up the sauce.
fresh herbs such as parsley, basil, cilantro, cheese such as feta, kefalotyri, pecorino, parmesan, fresh bread

Notes

Marinating option: If you have time, consider marinating the meat chunks in the wine, vinegar and herbs and spices. Overnight is great, but even a couple of hours will intensify the flavors in the stew and tenderize the meat.

Leftover Greek beef stew is perfect encased in a pie! Got a pie maker? Even better!

Nutrition