Go Back
–+ servings
Spezzatino di manzo an Italian beef, red wine and tomato stew served with cheesy polenta.
Print

Spezzatino di Manzo: Italian Beef Stew Recipe

My take on an Italian beef stew called spezzatino di manzo keeps everything very simple allowing the tender beautiful beef to shine through the rich red wine and tomato sauce. The dish starts with a classic sofrito and just a little garlic, before a reduced wine, beef stock and rosemary sauce is created to braise the beef until it is fall apart tender.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Anglo Italian
Keyword italian beef stew, Slow cooked italian beef stew, spezzatino di manzo
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings 2 Servings
Calories 791kcal
Author Brian Jones

Ingredients

  • 400 g Stewing Beef 14oz (I use braising Steak)
  • 1 Small Onion 100g
  • 1 Small Celery Stick 50g
  • 1 Small-Medium Carrot 75g
  • 1 Garlic Clove
  • 2 tablespoon Flour
  • ¾ teaspoon Salt
  • 3 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 2 tablespoon Tomato Puree
  • 2 Bay Leaves
  • 1 Sprig Fresh Rosemary
  • 250 ml Red Wine 1 Cup
  • 250 ml Beef Stock 1 Cup
  • ¼ teaspoon Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Cut the beef into 30-35mm (1¼-1½") cubes.
  • Cut the onion in half, peel it and then cut it into a 5mm (¼") dice.
  • Clean up the celery stick and cut it into a dice a similar size to the onion.
  • Cut the carrot into a dice the same size as the onion and celery.
  • Lightly bash the garlic clove with the side of a knife and remove the papery skin.
  • Season the beef with a quarter of a teaspoon of salt and then dredge it with the flour.
  • Heat a 20cm or 8" heavy-based saucepan over a medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the olive oil, then brown the beef (in two batches) on all sides.
    Then remove and set aside.
    Spezzatino di Manzo Process Shot 1 of 6
    • This will take around 15 minutes.
  • Reduce the heat to medium, add the onion, carrot, celery and garlic, cook for around 5-7 minutes.
    Spezzatino di Manzo Process Shot 2 of 6
    • The aim is to soften the vegetables without adding colour, so if the ingredients begin to brown, reduce the heat a little.
    Be sure to scrape the bottom of the pan to start releasing any residue from searing the beef
  • Add the tomato puree, and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring continuously.
    Spezzatino di Manzo Process Shot 3 of 6
  • Pour in the red wine, turn the heat up to high and cook until it has reduced by half.
    Spezzatino di Manzo Process Shot 4 of 6
    • This will take 7-10 minutes.
    Again, scrape the bottom of the pan to release any remaining residue from searing the beef.
  • Add the seared beef, beef stock, bay leaves, sprig of rosemary and black pepper, stir and have a taste, adding as much of the remaining half of a teaspoon of salt as you think you need.
    Spezzatino di Manzo Process Shot 5 of 6
    • This will very much depend on your stock; you may need none, you may need more, trust your tastebuds.
  • Stir, add a lid, and transfer to the oven and cook for 2 hours at 150°C or 300°F, remove the lid and cook for a final 30 minutes before serving.
    Spezzatino di Manzo Process Shot 6 of 6

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 791kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 45g | Fat: 50g | Saturated Fat: 16g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 29g | Cholesterol: 122mg | Sodium: 1669mg | Potassium: 1101mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 5387IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 55mg | Iron: 5mg
QR Code linking back to recipe