Hairy Bikers Beef Stifado Recipe

This Hairy Bikers beef stifado recipe is a slow-braised Greek beef stew of chuck steak and whole pickling onions in spiced red wine. And it comes from Meat Feasts, feeding six at about 510 calories a serving, with roughly 2 hours 30 minutes total.

Si and Dave note that stifado “always contains loads of little onions, cooked whole,” and that line shapes the dish. Because the onions stay whole instead of sliced, they turn sweet and silky, which sets stifado apart from an ordinary beef stew.

The make-or-break step is the overnight marinade, since the spiced wine and vinegar need real time to work into the chuck. And if you rush that soak, the beef stays bland and a bit tough, so I always leave it overnight for the best result.

Hairy Bikers Beef Stifado Recipe

Author: Alex Saidani Cooking Method:Simmering Cuisine:British Greek Courses:Main Course

Difficulty:BeginnerPrep time: 30 minutesCook time:2 hours Rest time: minutesTotal time:2 hours 30 minutesServings:6 servingsCalories:510 kcal Best Season:Summer

Description

This stifado from Meat Feasts turns cheap chuck into soft, glossy Greek comfort food for six. And it is a proper weekend cook, since you steep the meat the night before, then braise it low and slow for hours.

Ingredients

For the Stew:

• 1kg chuck steak, cut into large chunks (at least 8cm)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 500g pickling onions, peeled and left whole
• 1 tbsp tomato purée
• 4 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or a 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tsp honey
• fresh oregano or parsley leaves, to serve (optional)
• flaked sea salt
• freshly ground black pepper

For the Marinade:

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 bay leaves
• 3cm cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp allspice berries
• ½ tsp coriander seeds
• 4 cloves
• 1 strip of thinly pared orange peel
• 300ml red wine
• 50ml red wine vinegar

Instructions

1. Marinate the beef: Put the chuck in a glass or ceramic bowl, never metal, then season it and add every marinade ingredient. Then cover the bowl and chill it for several hours, or overnight if you can.
2. Brown the onions: Once the beef has marinated, heat the olive oil in a large flameproof casserole and add the whole onions. Then cook them over a medium heat, shaking the pan, until coloured all over, before lifting them out.
3. Sear the beef: After lifting the onions out, strain the beef and keep the marinade, then pat the meat dry so it browns. Then add more oil if needed and sear the beef in batches until well coloured. Once it is browned, return the meat and onions to the pan.
4. Build the sauce: Once the beef is back in, pour the reserved marinade into the casserole, then loosen the tomato puree with water and stir it in. Then add the tomatoes and honey, season well, and bring it all up to the boil.
5. Simmer until tender: Once it boils, turn the heat down low, cover the casserole, and cook for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until tender. Then stir now and again, turning the meat over, and scatter with oregano or parsley before serving.

FAQs

Can I make beef stifado in a slow cooker?

Yes, and it is an easy way to cook it, since the marinade and the browning stay the same. So I still sear the beef and colour the onions in a pan first, because a slow cooker cannot brown them.

After that, tip everything into the slow cooker, marinade and all, then cook on low for 7 to 8 hours or high for about 4. And the book itself uses the hob, so treat these slow cooker times as mine, not Si and Dave’s.

What makes stifado different from a normal beef stew?

A British beef stew leans on stock and gravy, while stifado leans on red wine, vinegar and warm spices. So you taste cinnamon, cloves, allspice and coriander seed, which give it a sweet, almost Christmassy edge.

A teaspoon of honey and a strip of orange peel push it further from a stew, since they add a gentle sweetness. And the same cinnamon-and-wine warmth runs through their moussaka, which also comes from Meat Feasts, so try that one too.

What should I serve with beef stifado?

Si and Dave suggest short macaroni-style pasta, which soaks up the spiced sauce really nicely. And I often go for orzo or a hunk of crusty bread instead, since both do the same mopping job.

For something more filling, creamy dauphinoise potatoes catch the sauce beautifully, so I serve them alongside on a cold night. A spoon of garlicky yoghurt cuts the richness too, which keeps the plate from feeling too heavy.

Why does the recipe use whole pickling onions?

Pickling onions are baby onions, often sold as silverskin or pearl onions near the salad section. And you want ones roughly the size of a walnut, so they cook through in the braise without falling apart.

To peel them without the tears, cover them in boiling water for a minute, then the skins slip straight off. And if you cannot find them, small shallots work well, so use those left whole instead.

Can I make beef stifado ahead, and how do I store it?

Stifado is a brilliant make-ahead dish, since the flavour deepens as it rests in the fridge. So I often cook it a day early, then the spices settle and the sauce tastes even better warmed through.

It keeps in the fridge for three days, and it freezes well for up to three months once cooled. And like a lot of their slow-cooked recipes, their goulash reheats just as kindly, so try that one too.