Hairy Bikers Beef Stifado Slow Cooker Recipe

This meltingly tender Hairy Bikers Beef Stifado Slow Cooker Recipe is made with stewing beef and baby onions, ready in 8 hours. The warm scent of cinnamon hits you instantly, revealing a thick, dark sauce coating the meat. I find the slow cooker takes all the stress out of perfectly cooking beef.

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Why This Classic Works

Most traditional stifado recipes require constant stove monitoring to ensure the liquid does not evaporate. By using a slow cooker, the meat breaks down gently while keeping all that incredible spice-infused gravy trapped inside.

I initially worried the baby onions would turn to mush over eight long hours. Instead, they become soft, sweet little flavour bombs that balance the robust red wine sauce perfectly.

Hairy Bikers Beef Stifado Slow Cooker Recipe Ingredients

• 1 kg stewing beef, cut into chunks
• 500g small shallots or pearl onions, peeled
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, crushed
• 150ml dry red wine
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

How To Make Hairy Bikers Beef Stifado Slow Cooker Recipe

1. Brown the Beef: Heat half the olive oil in a pan over high heat and sear the beef chunks until browned all over, then transfer to the slow cooker.
2. Sauté the Onions: Add the remaining oil to the pan, then gently fry the whole peeled shallots for 5 minutes until lightly golden.
3. Deglaze the Pan: Stir in the crushed garlic, tomato purée, red wine, and vinegar, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
4. Combine the Stew: Pour the pan mixture over the beef in the slow cooker, then add the chopped tomatoes, cinnamon stick, cloves, and bay leaves.
5. Slow Cook: Season generously, cover, and cook on Low for 8 hours or High for 4 to 5 hours until the beef is meltingly tender.

Recipe Tips

• Sear for flavour: Do not skip browning the beef, as it adds depth to the final sauce that the slow cooker cannot replicate.
• Peeling shallots easily: Soak the shallots in boiling water for 5 minutes to easily slip off their papery skins.
• Tie the spices: If you do not want to hunt for loose cloves later, tie them in a small piece of muslin cloth.

What To Serve With Beef Stifado

This rich stew needs something to soak up the incredible sauce. Orzo pasta is the traditional Greek choice, but creamy mashed potatoes work beautifully too. A simple green salad dressed with lemon helps cut through the heavy, spiced gravy.

How To Store

Keep leftover stifado in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The flavours actually improve the next day. You can also freeze portions in freezer-safe bags for up to 3 months.

FAQs

Can I use standard onions instead of baby shallots?

You can, but it changes the texture. If you must substitute, cut regular onions into very large wedges so they do not disintegrate.

Does the alcohol cook out in a slow cooker?

A slow cooker traps moisture, so some alcohol remains. For a completely alcohol-free version, swap the wine for beef stock.

Why is my sauce too thin?

Slow cookers retain liquid. If your gravy is watery, stir in a cornflour slurry and cook on High for the last 30 minutes with the lid off.

Nutrition

• Calories: 450 kcal
• Total Fat: 22g
• Saturated Fat: 8g
• Cholesterol: 110mg
• Sodium: 380mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 15g
• Protein: 42g

Try More Recipes:

• Hairy Bikers Double Chocolate Chilli
• Hairy Bikers Vegetarian Chilli Recipe
• Hairy Bikers Cullen Skink Recipe