Description
A slow-cooked, aromatic beef dish infused with Mediterranean spices that delivers a warm and comforting dining experience.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 large onion, thinly sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 carrots, cut into chunks
- 2 celery stalks, sliced
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 2 cups low-sodium beef stock
- 1/2 cup pitted green olives, halved
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 2 bay leaves
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C). Pat the beef dry and season generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown beef pieces on all sides until deep golden. Transfer browned pieces to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium. Add onion, carrots, and celery to the pot and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.
- Stir in tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon, smoked paprika, and coriander. Cook for 2 minutes to toast the spices.
- Pour in beef stock and orange juice, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Return the beef to the pot, add olives, bay leaves, and orange zest. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover the Dutch oven and place in preheated oven. Braise until beef is fork-tender, about 150 to 180 minutes.
- Remove bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve hot over mashed potatoes, polenta, or roasted vegetables.
Notes
For best results, don’t skip the browning step to build rich flavor. The dish can be made ahead of time and tastes even better the next day.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 150 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Mediterranean