What does stifado mean in Greek?
Stifatho (στιφάδο)—sometimes spelled stifado—is a Greek stew dish. The word comes from “stufado,” a dish brought to Greece by the Venetians in the 13th century after the fall of Constantinople and before the Ottoman invasion. It’s the Greek version of comfort food—warm, filling, and satisfying.
What beef to use for stifado?
For a Greek beef stifado (stew), you need to choose large cuts of good quality stewing beef or even better veal, which, when cooked for a long time, become fork tender. The best option for this Greek beef stifado recipe would be chuck (chuck steak), which comes from the upper arm and shoulder of the cow.
What is stifado made of?
A traditional Greek meat stew, stifado can be made with pork or rabbit as well as beef. It always contains loads of little onions, cooked whole, and can be served with some short macaroni-style pasta if you fancy.
How long to cook beef stifado?
Season generously with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to the boil then simmer for 1½ to 2 hours, or until the beef is tender and the sauce has thickened. Serve with pasta and grated hard cheese, such as kefalotiri, pecorino or Parmesan.
Can you freeze beef stifado?
Stifado will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days and can be frozen too.
How do you make beef stew meat tender?
Not cooking the stew long enough. Chuck meat is your best bet for beef stew, but it’s also a pretty tough cut so it needs time to break down and become tender. Rush the cooking process and the beef will be tough and chewy. Follow this tip: For really tender meat, cook the stew low and slow, for approximately two hours.
How do you thicken beef stifado?
Whisk a teaspoon of flour in a little cold water to make a slurry, then stir into the stew as it’s cooking. Don’t add dry flour directly to the stew as it may clump. After adding the slurry, bring the stew to boil. This will cook out the flour taste and allow the starch to swell.
What is stew meat?
Stew meat is made from cuts of beef with lots of tough connective tissue, namely chuck and/or round. When you simmer it in a liquid, the connective tissue breaks down and becomes melt-in-your-mouth tender. That’s why it’s traditionally braised in stock and turned into beef stew.
Can you freeze beef stew with potatoes and carrots in it?
Stew can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. Stews thickened with flour or cornstarch may separate after freezing. If you plan to freeze a stew, wait to thicken it until you reheat it. Freezing makes potatoes soft and grainy.
Can you freeze beef stew with potatoes in it?
Can beef stew with potatoes be frozen? Beef stew with potatoes can’t be frozen. The potatoes will fall apart and give the entire stew a grainy consistency. If you are freezing beef stew, leave out the potatoes or leave them severely undercooked.