Spezzatino Di Manzo Italian Beef Stew (Printable)
Tender beef braised slowly with vegetables, red wine, and herbs for deep, comforting flavors.
# What You Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.75 lb beef chuck, cut into 1¼-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 & Pantry
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:
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 3–4 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 frequently and scraping up any fond from the bottom of the pot to build 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 dry red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release any remaining browned bits. Let the wine reduce by half, approximately 5 minutes, to concentrate its flavor and cook off the alcohol.
05 - Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the cubed potatoes, beef stock, bay leaves, rosemary sprig, dried thyme, and a generous seasoning of salt and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine.
06 - Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, then cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened into a rich, glossy 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 alongside rustic bread, creamy polenta, or over mashed potatoes.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce practically makes itself while you go about your evening, filling every corner of the house with the kind of smell that makes people wander into the kitchen asking when dinner is ready.
- It tastes even better the next day, so making extra is never a mistake, it is actually the smartest thing you can do.
02 -
- Crowding the pot during browning is the fastest way to steam your beef instead of searing it, so cook in batches and be patient.
- Do not skip the wine reduction step because unreduced wine will leave the sauce tasting sour and thin no matter how long you simmer it afterward.
03 -
- Pat the beef completely dry with paper towels before browning because even a little moisture will prevent a proper sear and you will lose that deep crust.
- Use a Dutch oven if you have one because the heavy cast iron distributes heat so evenly that you barely need to adjust the temperature once it is set.