Spezzatino Di Manzo Italian (Print Version)
Tender beef simmered with tomatoes, red wine and herbs for a rich, comforting Italian stew.
# What You Need:
→ Beef
01 - 1.75 lb beef chuck, cut into 1.25-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced
03 - 2 celery stalks, chopped
04 - 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
05 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 14 oz canned diced tomatoes
→ Liquids & Pantry
08 - 2 cups beef broth
09 - 1/2 cup dry red wine
10 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
→ Herbs & Seasonings
12 - 2 bay leaves
13 - 3-4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp dried thyme)
14 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1 tsp dried rosemary)
15 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid crowding, sear the beef until deeply browned on all sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, add the chopped onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery with a pinch of salt. Sauté over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
03 - Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, to caramelize and deepen the flavor. Pour in the dry red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to deglaze and release any browned bits. Allow the wine to reduce by half, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the diced tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and rosemary. Stir well to combine, then bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until the beef is becoming tender.
06 - Add the cubed potatoes to the pot, adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper as needed, and continue cooking uncovered for an additional 30 minutes, or until both the potatoes and beef are fork-tender and the sauce has thickened to a rich consistency.
07 - Remove and discard the bay leaves and herb stems. Ladle the hot stew into bowls and serve alongside crusty bread, creamy polenta, or mashed potatoes.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The sauce thickens on its own into something so rich you will want to eat it straight from the pot with a spoon.
- It tastes even better the next day, which means leftovers are not a problem but a gift.
- Beef chuck becomes impossibly tender without any fancy technique, just patience and low heat.
02 -
- If you brown all the beef at once in a crowded pot it will boil in its own juices and you will never get that essential crust.
- Making this a day ahead and refrigerating it overnight makes the flavor dramatically better because the herbs and meat fully marry.
03 -
- Let the stew come to room temperature before refrigerating, then reheat it gently on the stove with a splash of broth to loosen the sauce.
- Tie the bay leaves, thyme, and rosemary together with kitchen twine so you can remove them all at once without hunting through the pot.