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Kokkinisto Greek Beef Stew

Kokkinisto Greek beef stew is a slow-simmered, cinnamon-scented tomato braise with tender chuck cubes and a thick red sauce. Cook onions until soft, simmer wine to concentrate flavor, then braise until the meat is fork-tender.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Soups, Stews & Chili
Cuisine: Greek
Calories: 540
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

beef chuck
  • 2.5 lb beef chuck cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
salt
  • 1.5 tsp salt
black pepper
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper
olive oil
  • 0.25 cup olive oil
onions
  • 2 onions finely diced
garlic
  • 4 clove garlic minced
tomato paste
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
dry red wine
  • 0.5 cup dry red wine
crushed tomatoes
  • 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
water
  • 1 cup water
cinnamon stick
  • 1 cinnamon stick
allspice berries
  • 3 allspice berries
bay leaves
  • 2 bay leaves
sugar
  • 1 tsp sugar
cooked orzo or potatoes for serving
  • 1 cooked orzo or potatoes for serving
crumbled feta and parsley for garnish
  • 1 crumbled feta and parsley for garnish

Equipment

  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Brown the beef
  1. Season the beef chuck cubes with salt and black pepper. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches until well browned on the outside.
Build the red sauce
  1. Add the diced onions to the Dutch oven and cook for 6 minutes until soft, stirring as needed. Stir in the minced garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, until fragrant.
  2. Pour in the dry red wine and simmer for 2 minutes, scraping the bottom to loosen browned bits. Cook until the liquid looks slightly reduced and glossy.
  3. Add the crushed tomatoes and water, then stir in the cinnamon stick, allspice berries, bay leaves, sugar, and the browned beef. Make sure the beef is mostly submerged in the red sauce.
Braised finish and serve
  1. Cover the Dutch oven and simmer over low to medium-low heat for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until the beef is very tender and the sauce is thick. The sauce should cling to the meat and the beef should break apart when pressed.
  2. Remove the whole spices (cinnamon stick, allspice berries, and bay leaves) before serving. Serve the stew over cooked orzo or potatoes, topped with crumbled feta and parsley.

Notes

For the best texture, brown the beef in batches so it sears instead of steaming, and keep the simmer gentle during the long cook. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 4 days; freeze for up to 3 months. If you want a lighter option, serve it over cauliflower mash instead of orzo or potatoes without changing the braise.