Italian Beef Stew (Spezzatino di Manzo)

4.98 from 49 votes

Italian Beef Stew (Spezzatino di Manzo)

Italian beef stew is a hearty dish made from cubes of chuck roast, mushrooms, carrots, and celery braised in a red wine sauce. Comfort for at its finest!

Prep Time10

Cook Time3

Total Time3 10

Course: Soup

Cuisine: Italian

Servings:

Author: James Delmage and Tara

Ingredients

2 1/2 pounds chuck roast cubed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium onion diced
3 medium carrots diced
2 large celery ribs diced
8 ounces baby Bella mushrooms sliced
1 cup dry red wine chianti, valpolicella, carbernet, etc
2 cups low sodium beef stock
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary
1 large bay leaf

For cornstarch slurry (optional)

1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 ounce water

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300f and make room on the middle rack for a large Dutch oven. Heat a large Dutch oven to medium-low heat, then add the olive oil, carrots, celery, and onion. Cook for 5 minutes then add the mushrooms, turn heat to medium, and continue to cook stirring frequently.
While the veggies are sauteing, pat the chuck roast cubes dry. Once the mushrooms release their water and most of it has evaporated from the pot, season the beef cubes with salt and pepper and add to the pot.
Coat the beef with the veggies and oil. Let the beef cook for 5-10 minutes (it won't develop much color). Next, turn heat to medium-high and add the wine and cook for 5-7 minutes or until it mostly evaporates and absorbs into the beef. Using a wooden spoon scrape up all of the brown bits while the beef is cooking.
Add the beef stock, rosemary, and bay leaf and stir it all together. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and cook in the oven for 2 1/2 hours or until tender. For the last 30-45 minutes braise with no lid to thicken the sauce and add a bit of color to the meat.
Once the beef is tender remove the pot from the oven. If there is too much liquid in the pot use a slurry of cornstarch (see notes) to thicken or cook over medium heat on the stovetop to thicken and reduce the liquid. Once satisfied with the consistency, taste test and make final adjustments to salt and pepper. Serve with crusty bread or with polenta or mashed potatoes. Enjoy!

Video

Notes

If you want a thicker sauce use a slurry of cornstarch after braising and right before serving. Simply mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with 1 ounce of water. Pour the slurry into the pot while it's bubbling and stir for 1 minute until sauce thickens. For an even thicker sauce use more slurry.
Dried mushrooms can be easily substituted for fresh mushrooms. They work great for stews like this.
Leftovers can be saved for up to 3 days in the refrigerator and 3 months in the freezer. Reheat in the microwave or over medium-low heat on the stovetop until hot.

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