Pork, beef & lamb· GF · DF

Greek Beef Stifado

Name: Greek Beef Stifado
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 2 h 40 min
Total time: 3 h
Cuisine: Greek
Ingredients: 700g beef joint (topside, silverside or brisket); 400g shallots, peeled and halved; 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 150ml red wine; 30ml red wine vinegar; 30g tomato purée; 3 cloves (15g) garlic; 10g light brown sugar; 1 stick cinnamon; 4g ground allspice and cloves; 2 bay leaves; 15ml olive oil; 1 cube beef stock cube; 250ml water

A fragrant Greek stew of beef and sweet whole shallots with tomato, red wine, cinnamon and allspice.

makes 19 blocks, about 56p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/recipes/greek-beef-stifado/

Illustration of a bowl of Greek Beef Stifado

Time: 3 hr20 min prep · 2 hr 40 min cook
Makes: 19 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 56p
Calories per blockCalories: 88 kcal
Spice: 1 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

blocks

700gbeef joint (topside, silverside or brisket)
400gshallots, peeled and halved
1 × 400g tinchopped tomatoes
150mlred wine
30mlred wine vinegar
30gtomato purée
3 cloves (15g)garlic
10glight brown sugar
1 stickcinnamon
4gground allspice and cloves
2bay leaves
15mlolive oil
1 cubebeef stock cube
250mlwater

Allergens: Sulphites. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Serve it

Orzo with crumbled feta · Crusty bread · Rice

Method

Step 1: Cut the beef into 3cm chunks and brown in the oil in two batches. Lift out. (12 min)
Step 2: Brown the shallots for 8 minutes, then add the garlic, purée and spices for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the wine and vinegar and bubble for 3 minutes, then the tomatoes, stock, sugar and bay.
Step 4: Return the beef, cover and braise at 150°C fan until tender. (2 hr 30)
Step 5: Remove the cinnamon and bay, break the beef up a little and simmer uncovered until thick. (10 min) Cool and freeze.

Hotter: add a fresh red chilli or a pinch of chilli flakes with the garlic.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	88	8.4g	4.1g	3.5g	0.7g	0.3g
Per 3 blocks	264	25.2g	12.3g	10.5g	2.1g	0.9g

Cook’s notes

Drop the shallots into boiling water for a minute and they peel easily.
Halved shallots portion better into blocks than whole ones.
Crumble feta over at serving.

Serve it

Orzo with crumbled feta · Crusty bread · Rice.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 264 kcal and 25.2g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Greek Beef Stifado questions

Can I use onions instead of shallots?

Small pickling onions are the traditional choice and work just as well. Ordinary onions cut into thick wedges also work, though they break down more during the long braise.

Can I make it without wine?

Replace the red wine with the same amount of beef stock and keep the vinegar, which still gives the sauce its sweet-sour tang.

Can I use lamb instead of beef?

Diced lamb shoulder works well with the cinnamon and allspice. Braise it the same way, check it after 1 hour 30, and skim off any fat before cooling.