Stifatho: Beef and Onion Stew

By
Nancy Gaifyllia
Nancy Gaifyllia
A resident of Greece, Nancy Gaifyllia is a cook who writes about the country's regional specialties.
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Updated on 12/13/19
Beef and onion stew

Darren Muir / Stocksy United

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 3 hrs
Total: 3 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 4 to 5 servings

In Greek: στιφάδο, pronounced stee-FAH-thoh

The key to this recipe is the long cooking time, which brings together the tastes of the beef, onions, garlic, bay leaf, and rosemary. (I'm told that by adjusting the amount of water, this works well in a slow cooker or crock pot - see note below the recipe.)

Serve with the potato dish or salad of your choice, a slice of feta cheese, and crusty bread.

Ingredients

  • 3 1/3 pounds/1.5 kilogram of lean beef (cut in egg-sized chunks)
  • 3 1/3 pounds/1.5 kilogram of whole boiler onions (peeled)
  • 3/4 cups of olive oil
  • 3 ounces/6 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
  • 10 cloves of garlic (peeled, whole)
  • 2 tablespoons of tomato paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 stem of fresh rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon of salt
  • 10 to 12 peppercorns

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a stew pot, lightly brown the meat in olive oil.

  3. Add remaining ingredients and enough water to cover, plus 1 inch. Stir to mix with a wooden spoon. Bring to a rolling boil and immediately reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 3 to 4 hours without stirring, until only a sauce remains.

  4. Serve and enjoy!

Tips

Prep time: Prep time depends on the time it takes to peel the onions. Some ideas to make it easier.

Slow Cooker Directions: In a comment on a blog post about this recipe, Esia writes: "I made this in the slow cooker and it was super easy and delicious. I adjusted the recipe slightly by adding half of the water and it turned out perfectly–I had it cooking 8 hours on low setting. This recipe is definitely a keeper!"

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
1115 Calories
64g Fat
39g Carbs
94g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4 to 5
Amount per serving
Calories 1115
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 64g 83%
Saturated Fat 17g 85%
Cholesterol 271mg 90%
Sodium 1608mg 70%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Dietary Fiber 6g 23%
Protein 94g
Calcium 178mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)