Spezzatino Di Manzo Italian Beef Stew (Printer-Friendly)
Tender beef cubes slowly braised with vegetables, red wine, and herbs in a rich, thickened sauce perfect for rustic dining.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.75 lb beef chuck, cut into 1.25-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 Spices
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# How to Make It:
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, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and set aside.
02 - Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pot to develop flavor.
03 - Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and the tomato paste has darkened slightly in color.
04 - Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any remaining browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, about 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 the heat to low. Braise for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened into a rich, coats-the-back-of-a-spoon consistency.
07 - Discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed. Ladle into warm bowls and serve.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The sauce practically builds itself while the beef turns spoon soft over two unhurried hours.
- It tastes even better the next day, so you get two meals from one effort.
- Red wine and tomato paste create a depth that makes people think you spent all day over a hot stove.
02 -
- Crowding the pot during browning is the single biggest mistake, because the meat boils in its own juices instead of searing.
- A splash of balsamic vinegar added with the wine creates an unexpected layer of sweetness that changed my spezzatino forever.
03 -
- Cut all your vegetables and meat before you turn on the stove because once things start moving, they move fast.
- The secret to an exceptionally silky sauce is pressing a few of the cooked potato cubes against the side of the pot with your spoon during the last thirty minutes of cooking.