Moshari Kokkinisto Thessalonikis (Μοσχάρι Κοκκινιστό Θεσσαλονίκης)

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •heavy lidded Dutch oven or broad casserole, 28cm
• •tongs for turning the beef
• •box grater for fresh tomatoes

Instructions

1. 1

   Dry the beef

   Pat the beef very dry and season it with 8g of the salt and the black pepper. Let it stand while you chop the onions. Wet meat fights the pan before it ever meets the tomato.

2. 2

   Brown in batches

   Heat 50ml of the olive oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in two or three batches, leaving space between the pieces, until each side is deep brown. This is the step that decides the kokkinisto. Crowd the pot and the meat steams grey, so the sauce tastes thin no matter how long you simmer it.

   If the bottom darkens too fast, lower the heat a little. Brown is flavor. Black is bitterness.
3. 3

   Soften the onions

   Lift the browned beef to a plate. Add the remaining 30ml olive oil and the onions to the pot with a pinch of the remaining salt. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, scraping the bottom, until the onions are soft and sweet at the edges. Add the garlic for the last minute.

4. 4

   Toast the tomato

   Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, until it darkens from bright red to brick red and leaves a little mark on the bottom of the pot. Pour in the wine and scrape well. Let it bubble for 3 minutes so the raw wine smell leaves.

5. 5

   Build the sauce

   Return the beef and its juices to the pot. Add the grated tomatoes, hot stock or water, cinnamon stick, cloves, bay leaf, and the rest of the salt. The liquid should come about two-thirds of the way up the meat, not drown it. Bring it just to a boil, then lower the heat at once.

6. 6

   Braise slowly

   Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar and simmer gently for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, turning the meat once or twice. The sauce should murmur, not jump. When the beef yields to a spoon and the tomato has thickened into a glossy red sauce, it is ready.

7. 7

   Rest and serve

   Remove the cinnamon stick, cloves, and bay leaf. Taste the sauce. If the tomatoes are sharp, add the sugar and simmer 5 minutes more. Rest the kokkinisto off the heat for 15 minutes before serving with hilopites, rice, mashed potatoes, or fried potatoes, and parsley if you like.

Chef Tips

• •Use beef chuck, shin, or another cut with collagen. Lean stewing cubes look tidy in the packet and turn dry in the pot. Λίγα και καλά: buy the right cut and give it time.
• •Fresh tomatoes are right in high summer. Outside that season, use good canned crushed tomatoes without apology. A winter tomato that tastes of water has no business leading this sauce.
• •Kokkinisto improves after a night in the refrigerator. Reheat it gently with a splash of water if the sauce has tightened, and serve it with hilopites or rice so nothing red is left on the plate.

Advance Preparation

• •Cut and salt the beef up to 12 hours ahead, covered in the refrigerator; bring it out 30 minutes before browning.
• •Cook the kokkinisto 1 day ahead if you can. Chill it, lift off any firm fat from the surface, and reheat slowly until the sauce loosens and shines.
• •The finished stew freezes well for up to 2 months, without pasta or potatoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 310g)