This stew is darker and deeper than your average beef soup. The broth is built on Burgundy wine and vinegar, but the real character comes from the spices. We use whole cloves and a stick of cinnamon, ingredients usually reserved for baking, to infuse the meat with a warmth that you feel in your chest.
It is a savory, aromatic dish that pairs the tenderness of sirloin with the sweetness of whole pearl onions. The sauce is thin but rich, meant to be soaked up with a piece of hard bread.
Like the chili, this recipe is designed to be cooked once and stored away for cold nights. The flavors only deepen as they sit in the freezer, making the reheated meal often better than the fresh one.
The Recipe
Yields: 6 servings | Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 1 hour
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 pounds lean boneless sirloin, cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 (4-inch) stick cinnamon
- 1 cup Burgundy or other dry red wine
- 3/4 cup water
- 3 tablespoons tomato sauce
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons dark brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 pounds pearl onions, peeled
Instructions
1. Brown the Beef Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes and cook until they are browned on all sides. Do this in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan. Drain off any excess drippings.
2. Infuse the Broth Tie the whole cloves and the cinnamon stick in a small cheesecloth spice bag. Add the spice bag to the pot with the beef. Stir in the wine, water, tomato sauce, vinegar, bay leaf, minced garlic, brown sugar, salt, cumin, and pepper. Mix well. Bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes.
3. Add the Onions Stir in the pearl onions. Cover the pot again and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the onions and beef are tender.
4. Finish and Portion Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaf and the spice bag containing the cloves and cinnamon. Spoon about 1 cup of the stew into each of 6 sealable, microwave-safe containers. Allow to cool slightly before freezing.
5. Reheat To serve, thaw the stew overnight in the fridge or defrost in the microwave. Heat until piping hot and serve with crusty bread.
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Beef & Onion Stew
This Spiced Beef & Onion Stew is darker and deeper than your average soup. It is flavored with cinnamon, cloves, and Burgundy wine. The recipe is designed to be frozen for easy weeknight meals.
Ingredients
Instructions
Brown the Beef
-
Heat the vegetable oil in a Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes and cook until they are browned on all sides. Do this in batches if necessary to avoid crowding the pan. Drain off any excess drippings.
Infuse the Broth
-
Tie the whole cloves and the cinnamon stick in a small cheesecloth spice bag. Add the spice bag to the pot with the beef. Stir in the wine, water, tomato sauce, vinegar, bay leaf, minced garlic, brown sugar, salt, cumin, and pepper. Mix well. Bring the liquid to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 40 minutes.
Add the Onions
-
Stir in the pearl onions. Cover the pot again and simmer for another 20 minutes, or until the onions and beef are tender.
Finish and Portion
-
Remove the pot from the heat. Discard the bay leaf and the spice bag containing the cloves and cinnamon. Spoon about 1 cup of the stew into each of 6 sealable, microwave-safe containers. Allow to cool slightly before freezing.
Reheat
-
To serve, thaw the stew overnight in the fridge or defrost in the microwave. Heat until piping hot and serve with crusty bread.
