Stifado (Greek Beef or Rabbit Stew)
This traditional Greek stifado features tender beef or rabbit slow-cooked in a rich, aromatic tomato sauce with pearl onions and warm spices. It's a hearty and comforting stew, perfect for a satisfying dinner.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 3 hr 30 min
- Serves
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 841 kcal
Allergen information: may contain sulphites. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 1,000 gbeef chuck, cut into 5 cm cubes
- 1,000 grabbit, cut into 6-8 pieces(optional)
- 4 tbspolive oil
- 1 pcsyellow onion, chopped
- 4 clovegarlic, minced
- 250 mlred wine
- 400 gcanned crushed tomatoes
- 250 mlbeef broth
- 2 tbsptomato paste
- 2 pcsbay leaf
- 1 pcscinnamon stick
- 6 pcswhole cloves
- 1 tspdried oregano
- 1.5 tspsalt
- 0.5 tspblack pepper, freshly ground
- 400 gpearl onion, peeled
garnish
- 2 tbspfresh parsley, chopped(optional)
Equipment
dutch oven · cutting board · knife
The method
Step by step
- 1
Pat the beef or rabbit dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper.
About 5 min
- 2
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat.
About 1 min
- 3
Sear the beef or rabbit in batches until browned on all sides, then remove from the pot and set aside.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Do not overcrowd the pot; sear in batches to ensure proper browning.
- 4
Add the chopped yellow onion to the pot and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes.
About 7 min
- 5
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
About 1 min
Cook’s note: Be careful not to burn the garlic.
- 6
Pour in the red wine and deglaze the pot, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
About 2 min
- 7
Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, tomato paste, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, dried oregano, salt, and pepper to the pot.
About 2 min
- 8
Return the seared meat to the pot.
About 1 min
- 9
Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook for 90 minutes.
About 1 hr 30 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the stew is barely simmering to allow the meat to become very tender.
- 10
Add the peeled pearl onions to the pot and continue to simmer, covered, for another 60-90 minutes, or until the meat is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened.
About 1 hr 30 min
Cook’s note: The cooking time for the pearl onions depends on their size and desired tenderness.
- 11
Remove the bay leaves, cinnamon stick, and whole cloves before serving.
About 1 min
- 12
Garnish with fresh parsley, if desired, and serve hot.
Cook’s note: Stifado pairs well with rice, pasta, or crusty bread.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 841.3kcal
- Protein
- 74.3g
- Carbs
- 16g
- Fat
- 50g
- Fibre
- 3.1g
- Sugar
- 7.5g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store leftover stifado in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Reheat gently on the stovetop over low heat, stirring occasionally, or in the microwave until warmed through.
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