Spezzatino Di Manzo (Printable Version)
Tender beef slowly braised with vegetables, red wine, and Italian herbs for deep, rich flavors.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 1.75 lb beef chuck, cut into 1.25-inch cubes
→ Vegetables
02 - 2 medium onions, finely chopped
03 - 2 carrots, sliced
04 - 2 celery stalks, sliced
05 - 2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
06 - 2 garlic cloves, minced
→ Liquids and Pantry
07 - 1 cup dry red wine
08 - 2 cups beef stock
09 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
10 - 2 tbsp olive oil
→ Herbs and Spices
11 - 2 bay leaves
12 - 1 sprig fresh rosemary
13 - 1 tsp dried thyme
14 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
# Directions:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches until well-seared on all sides, then remove and set aside.
02 - Reduce heat to medium. In the same pot, add the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
03 - Add the minced garlic and tomato paste to the vegetables. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
04 - Pour in the dry red wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to release all the fond. Allow the wine to reduce by half, approximately 5 minutes.
05 - Return the seared beef to the pot. Add the cubed potatoes, beef stock, bay leaves, rosemary sprig, dried thyme, salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle simmer.
06 - Cover the pot and cook on low heat for 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has thickened into a rich gravy.
07 - Remove and discard the bay leaves and rosemary sprig. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot with rustic bread, polenta, or on its own.
# Expert Hints:
01 -
- The sauce practically makes itself while you go about your day, thickening into something velvety and rich without any flour or fancy techniques.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day, which makes this the rare dish that genuinely improves with time.
02 -
- Pat the beef completely dry with paper towels before searing, because any moisture on the surface will prevent a proper crust and you will end up with grey, steamed meat instead of beautifully browned cubes.
- A splash of balsamic vinegar added right at the end of the wine reduction adds an unexpected layer of complexity that most people cannot quite identify but always love.
03 -
- If you have the time, let the seared beef rest for five minutes before returning it to the pot, because the juices redistribute and the meat stays more tender through the long braise.
- The single biggest improvement you can make is using homemade beef stock, but a good quality store bought version works perfectly well on busy weeknights.