Spezzatino Di Manzo Italian Beef (Printable)
Tender slow-braised beef with tomatoes, red wine, thyme and rosemary, finished with potatoes for a rich, comforting meal.
# What you need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.75 lb beef chuck, cut into 1¼ 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
08 - 2 cups beef broth
09 - ½ cup dry red wine
10 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
→ Herbs & Spices
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 thoroughly dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat the olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, sear the beef cubes until deeply browned on all sides, approximately 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned beef to a plate and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add the chopped onion, sliced carrots, and chopped celery with a pinch of salt. Sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have softened. Add the minced garlic and cook for an additional minute until fragrant.
04 - Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, allowing it to caramelize slightly. Pour in the dry red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon to deglaze and release any browned bits. Let the wine reduce by approximately half, about 3 to 4 minutes.
05 - Return the seared beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the diced tomatoes, beef broth, bay leaves, thyme sprigs, and rosemary. Stir everything together thoroughly and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
06 - Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 1 hour and 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom, until the beef is becoming tender.
07 - Add the cubed potatoes to the pot, adjust the salt and pepper to taste, 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.
08 - Remove and discard the bay leaves and herb stems. Ladle the stew into bowls and serve hot, accompanied by crusty bread, creamy polenta, or mashed potatoes.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sauce thickens on its own into something velvety without a drop of cream or flour.
- It tastes even better the next day, so you get two meals of glory from one pot of effort.
02 -
- Crowding the pot during searing steams the meat instead of browning it, so work in two or three batches even if it feels tedious.
- Cooking the stew a day ahead and refrigerating it overnight lets the flavors marry in a way that same day cooking simply cannot match.
03 -
- Let the seared beef rest on a plate while you build the sauce, then pour every drop of collected juice back into the pot for maximum flavor.
- A heavy Dutch oven distributes heat more evenly than any other pan, and the tight fitting lid traps the moisture that keeps everything tender.