Beef Stifado in the Slow Cooker

Stifado is a Greek beef stew and my all-time favorite Greek dish. Chunks of tender beef are cooked with shallots in a rich aromatic tomato sauce. Serve with boiled rice and a good supply of crusty bread to mop up the rich sauce!

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 6 hr
• Total Time: 6 hr 15 mins
• Calories: 378 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cinnamon stick
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup red wine
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 tablespoons ketchup, or more to taste
• 1 pound baby shallots, peeled

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and cook beef, onion, and garlic until meat is browned on all sides and onions are soft, 6 to 8 minutes. Add tomatoes, nutmeg, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, rosemary, salt and a good pinch of black pepper. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until ingredients blend, about 3 minutes. Add wine and vinegar and stir to combine.

Step 2

Turn slow cooker to Low setting. Pour beef mixture into slow cooker and stir in ketchup.

Step 3

Cook on Low until beef is tender, 6 to 8 hours.

Step 4

Meanwhile, heat remaining olive oil in a skillet and cook shallots until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add cooked shallots to stew for the last 1 to 2 hours of cooking.

Step 5

Remove and discard cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and rosemary sprig before serving.