Slow Cooker Greek Beef Stifado with Sweet Pearl Onions

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

A dump-and-walk-away version of Greece's most comforting braise: chunks of beef chuck go into the slow cooker raw with a whole bag of frozen pearl onions, crushed tomatoes, red wine vinegar and a cinnamon stick. Eight unattended hours later the beef shreds under a fork and the onions have melted into a glossy, faintly sweet-and-sour sauce. No browning, no fussing — one pot, ten ingredients, and a house that smells incredible by mid-afternoon.

Ingredients

• 3 lb boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 16 oz frozen pearl onions (no need to thaw)
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 14.5 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 2 tsp kosher salt plus 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. Put the beef chunks and the frozen pearl onions straight into a 6-quart slow cooker — no thawing, no browning. Scatter the smashed garlic over the top.
2. Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine vinegar, oregano, salt and pepper, then tuck in the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Stir once or twice with a long spoon so the tomato paste is roughly distributed; the liquid will look scant, but the beef and onions release plenty as they cook.
3. Cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH for 5 hours, without lifting the lid, until the beef pulls apart easily with a fork and the onions are soft and translucent.
4. Fish out and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Stir gently to break the beef into large, rustic pieces and let it sit uncovered for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens slightly, then taste and add more salt or a splash of vinegar if it needs brightening.
5. Spoon over orzo, rice or crusty bread and serve hot, with the sauce and onions ladled generously over the top.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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