Spezzatino Di Manzo Italian Beef Stew (Print Version)
Tender beef chunks braised slowly with onions, carrots, celery, and potatoes in a rich red wine and herb broth.
# Recipe Ingredients:
→ Beef
01 - 1.75 lb beef chuck, cut into 1¼-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
03 - 2 carrots, sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Liquids and Pantry
07 - 1 cup dry red wine
08 - 2 cups beef stock
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Herbs and Seasonings
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef cubes until deeply browned on all sides. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and set aside.
02 - Lower the heat to medium. In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for approximately 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pot.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture becomes fragrant and the tomato paste darkens slightly.
04 - Pour in the dry red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release all caramelized bits. Let the wine reduce by half, approximately 5 minutes, to cook off the alcohol and concentrate the flavor.
05 - Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the potatoes, beef stock, bay leaves, rosemary sprig, dried thyme, and season with salt and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened into a rich gravy.
07 - Remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Taste the sauce and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot alongside rustic bread, creamy polenta, or over mashed potatoes.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce practically builds itself while you go about your evening, thickening into something that tastes like it took all day even though you barely touched it.
- It reheats beautifully and actually tastes better the next day, making it the most forgiving dinner party dish you will ever attempt.
02 -
- Skip the searing step and you will have boiled beef in thin broth instead of a stew with deep, complex flavor, so take the extra ten minutes to brown properly.
- A full simmer instead of a gentle one will toughen the meat and break the potatoes into mush, so keep the heat as low as your stove allows while still maintaining tiny bubbles.
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables and have everything measured before you turn on the stove, because once the browning starts things move quickly and you do not want to be chopping onions with one hand while stirring with the other.
- Use a Dutch oven if you have one, because the heavy cast iron distributes heat so evenly that you can walk away during the long braise without worrying about hot spots burning the bottom.