Spezzatino Di Manzo Italian Beef (Printable Version)
Tender beef chunks braised slowly with vegetables, red wine and herbs for a rich Italian comfort dish.
# What You 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
07 - 1 cup dry red wine
08 - 2 cups beef stock
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Herbs & 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, brown the beef cubes on all sides until deeply seared, approximately 3–4 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
02 - Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
03 - Add the minced garlic and tomato paste to the vegetable mixture. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
04 - Pour in the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any fond. Allow the wine to reduce by half, approximately 5 minutes, concentrating the flavors.
05 - Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the cubed potatoes, beef stock, bay leaves, rosemary sprig, dried thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine.
06 - Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low, and 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. Ladle into warm bowls.
# Helpful Hints:
01 -
- The sauce practically builds itself while you wait, turning inexpensive chuck into something that tastes like it took far more effort than it did.
- Leftovers the next day are somehow even better, which makes this the gift that keeps on giving.
- Serve it over polenta, with crusty bread, or straight from a bowl on the couch and it works every single time.
02 -
- Crowding the pot during searing is the fastest way to end up with steamed gray beef instead of a beautiful brown crust, so work in batches even if it feels tedious.
- A splash of balsamic vinegar added alongside the red wine adds a tangy complexity that will make people ask what your secret is.
- This stew tastes significantly better the next day because the flavors continue to meld and deepen as it sits in the fridge overnight.
03 -
- Pat the beef completely dry with paper towels before searing because any surface moisture will prevent a proper crust from forming.
- Cook the stew a day ahead, refrigerate it overnight, then gently reheat it on the stove and watch how the flavors have transformed into something extraordinary.