This braised beef dish is reminiscent of a very popular Greek beef stew called stifado. Greek and Middle Eastern stews and meat dishes often include warming spices such as nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, which result in unique flavor profiles. Here, the cloves unwrap the peach’s natural sweetness. If the wine is too bold for your taste, use beef stock or a combination of both.
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless chuck, eye of round, or rump roast, cut into 2-inch chunks
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
- 2 onions, chopped
- 3 carrots, thick-sliced diagonally
- 3 stalks celery, thick-sliced diagonally
- 4 to 5 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine, or 3 cups beef stock, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 oregano sprigs
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 3 whole cloves
- 6 peaches, each cut into 8 slices
How to Make It
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Season the beef with salt and pepper. In a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil. Working in batches, brown beef on all sides and remove to a platter. Add the remaining oil to pan, reduce heat to medium, and sauté the onions and carrots until onions are translucent. Add the celery and garlic and sauté 1 minute longer. Sprinkle the flour over vegetable mixture and stir.
- Carefully pour the wine into the Dutch oven and stir well, scraping up any bits on the bottom. Return beef to the pot, add tomato paste, and stir until well-mixed. Tie bay leaves, oregano, rosemary, and cloves in a large piece of cheesecloth with a long piece of kitchen twine. Attach the herb packet to the handle of the Dutch oven with the loose end of the twine; then place the packet into the stew mixture. Bring to a boil. Cover and place in oven and cook for 2 hours. Add the peaches and cook for an additional 30 minutes, or until beef is fork-tender. If mixture appears to be getting a little dry or too thick, add an additional cup of wine (or beef stock).
