Greek-Style Beef Stew (Stifado) Recipe

I always strive to make the recipes I share more approachable and easier to follow. When I first set out to make this wonderful Greek beef stew, I was tempted to take a shortcut and use chopped shallots instead of whole ones, which is the traditional way. I’m glad I resisted because I would have missed out on one of the best parts of the entire 'stifado' experience.

The reason I kept the shallots whole was that every 'authentic' recipe I reviewed insisted on it, and honestly, I wasn’t sure I’d ever tasted a whole, stewed shallot. Could it even be done after all these years of eating just about everything? I decided to give it a try, adding a slightly more labor-intensive step to an otherwise straightforward dish, and I have no regrets.

In the end, I believe the extra 10 minutes of effort were completely worth it. While I won’t blame you if you choose to simply peel and chop, I’m hopeful that all my talk about the shallots in this post will convince you to go the whole route. Beyond that decision, this dish is incredibly simple yet spectacular, and as I mentioned in the video, probably the best beef stew you’ve never had. I truly hope you try it soon. Enjoy!

Ingredients List

• 3 pounds boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes

• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt

• 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

• 1 pound small shallots

• ½ cup diced onion

• 4 cloves garlic, minced

• 1 pinch kosher salt

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

• ¼ cup red wine vinegar

• 1 cup white wine

• 2 teaspoons white sugar

• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• ⅛ teaspoon ground allspice

• 1 pinch ground cloves

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 large bay leaves

• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary

• 2 cups beef broth, or more as needed

Cooking Instructions

Prepare all the ingredients before you begin.

Place the beef in a bowl, then season it generously with kosher salt and black pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use, up to one day in advance.

Trim the tops off the shallots, keeping the root ends intact. Peel off and discard the skins.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet over high heat. Add half of the beef and cook until it’s nicely browned, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef.

Turn off the heat and add 1 tablespoon of oil to the empty skillet. Toss in the shallots and let the skillet cool for 2 to 3 minutes. Turn the heat back on to medium and cook the shallots, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer the shallots to a plate.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil to the skillet, then toss in the onions, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring for about 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until it becomes toasted, about 2 minutes.

Pour in the red wine vinegar and white wine, bringing the mixture to a boil while scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sugar, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, oregano, bay leaves, and rosemary sprigs. Stir everything together and let it cook until the liquid reduces by about half, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the seared beef and shallots to the skillet, tossing gently to coat. Pour in 2 cups of beef broth and bring the mixture to a simmer.

Lower the heat to low or medium-low. Cover and let it simmer gently for 1 hour, then uncover and continue cooking for at least another hour, stirring occasionally to move the beef and shallots. If needed, add more broth during cooking, and skim off excess fat if desired.

The meat is ready when a fork easily slides in, but it should still hold together; this could take more than 2 hours depending on the cut.

Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning as necessary before serving.

Serve and savor the delicious stew!

Chef's Tips

Nutrition Information (per serving)