RED WINE BEEF STEW
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It’s a family tradition in our household to make New Year’s resolutions, and as I mentioned in the previous post, my personal resolution this year is to add more variety to our weekly menu by cooking interesting dishes I don’t make as often as we would like to. Dishes like today’s recipe, “Red Wine Beef Stew”. It’s a wonderful stew that’s great to make for special occasions and wintertime. The best part about this dish is that it’s really easy to prepare.
This recipe has a traditional French influence. As I’ve mentioned on many occasions before, Mexican cuisine is a fusion of many cultures, including those that arrived after the Spanish colonization. The main influences from the Old World come from France, Spain, Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. In Spanish, these types of recipes cooked with wine or vinegar are called “Estofados”, a word derived from the French “Étouffée”. Estofados are stews made with meat that is slow cooked inside a covered pot with a sauce or in its own juices. In the Mexican cookbook “Nuevo Cocinero Mejicano” from 1878, I found several recipes that are almost identical to this Red Wine Beef Stew, with some using lamb, beef, or chicken. Nowadays in Mexico, these stews also include tomato sauces and vegetables and vary by region.
I’ve been making this recipe for many years, and I adapted it from one of the first cookbooks I bought as a newlywed, back in the 80s. The book’s name is “… y la comida se hizo rápida” (“…and the meal was made quickly”), which means that this recipe is quick and easy to prepare. One thing to keep in mind, though, is that the cooking time will vary depending on the cut of meat that you choose.
I usually like to make this dish with beef hind shank, because the bone-in meat has lots of flavors and adds a unique taste, but today I will be using beef cheek from RUMBA® Meats. You can prepare this recipe using either one of these cuts.
RUMBA Meats has a large variety of different cuts of meats (nearly 20 in total), and chances are there is one that is just right for your favorite family meal. One thing that I like about them is that all their products are vacuum-sealed for added freshness. In our Mexican cuisine, we use many, if not all, of the cuts of meat offered by them, so I definitely make use of their products. If you’d like to find out a retailer that carries them, check out their store locator on their website; I usually buy their products at my local Wal-Mart or the nearby Kroger store.
Now let’s get started with this delicious recipe!
HOW TO MAKE RED WINE BEEF STEW
HOW TO MAKE RED WINE BEEF STEWNOTES:
You can also make this dish with Beef Shank if you prefer using that cut of meat. Buy about 2½ lbs. and proceed with the recipe as indicated.
- Optional garnish: 2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley and crushed piquin pepper to your liking. The addition of piquin pepper is my own thing, just to add a little bit of heat.
- You can use your Instant Pot, pressure cooker, slow cooker, or Dutch oven to make this dish. Cooking times will vary depending on the pot you use.
- . Cooking times per type of cooking method are: if using an Instant Pot, 35 minutes. Slow Cooker, 6 hours. Pressure cooker 50 minutes. Regular stove top pot or Dutch oven, 2 hours.
DIRECTIONS:
- Using a paring knife, clean any excess fat from the meat. Season the meat well with salt & pepper and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of flour (you will use the leftover flour in the next step). (Please check the ingredients list below)
- Heat the oil in the pot and add the meat. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, making sure all the sides are brown. Stir in the rest of the flour and mix well.
- Place the herbs and garlic in cheesecloth. Tie up the cheesecloth with a string and add to the pot along with the onion. If you don’t have cheesecloth, just place the herbs in the pot and discard before serving. Pour the water (or broth) and wine in the pot, place the lid, and cook for 40 minutes (if using an Instant Pot). (Check NOTES for cooking time using other devices.) Taste to check if it needs more salt.
Serve with some of the wine sauce and garnish with parsley. This dish can be served with mashed potatoes and a salad or with rice and vegetables.
RED WINE BEEF STEW
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. RUMBA Meats Beef Cheek* cut into 1½ in. cubes
- Salt & Pepper to taste
- 6 tablespoons of all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¾ cups red wine
- ¾ cups of beef broth or water
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon of dried thyme or 2 fresh sprigs
- ½ teaspoon of marjoram
- 1 Large garlic clove
- ½ medium size white onion
Instructions
- Using a paring knife, clean any excess fat from the meat. Season the meat well with salt & pepper and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of flour (you will use the leftover flour in the next step).
- Heat the oil in the pot and add the meat. Cook for about 2-3 minutes per side, making sure all the sides are brown. Stir in the rest of the flour and mix well.
- Place the herbs and garlic in cheesecloth. Tie up the cheesecloth with a string and add to the pot along with the onion. If you don’t have cheesecloth, just place the herbs in the pot and discard before serving. Pour the water (or broth) and wine in the pot, place the lid, and cook for 40 minutes (if using an Instant Pot). (Check NOTES for cooking time using other devices.) Taste to check if it needs more salt.
- Serve with some of the wine sauce and garnish with parsley. This dish can be served with mashed potatoes and a salad or with rice and vegetables.
Notes
- Optional garnish: 2 tablespoons of finely chopped parsley and crushed piquin pepper to your liking. The addition of piquin pepper is my own thing, just to add a little bit of heat.
- You can use your Instant Pot, pressure cooker, slow cooker, or Dutch oven to make this dish. Cooking times will vary depending on the pot you use.
- Cooking times per type of cooking method are: if using an Instant Pot, 35 minutes. Slow Cooker, 6 hours. Pressure cooker 50 minutes. Regular stove top pot or Dutch oven, 2 hours.
Nutrition
Buen Provecho!
Mely,
Check this Mexican Stew recipe using Beef hind Shank. I hope you make this dish and try the many meat products offered by RUMBA MEATS, they have a large selection of cuts used in our traditional recipes.
I tried this recipe today, my wife and the kids love it. Even though I’ve only started cooking about 7 months ago. Love your recipes.
Thank you,
Luis M
Hello Luis,
Thank you for trying the recipe for the Red wine stew and for visiting the blog.
Happy cooking!
Hello Mely,
If I am using a regular stove top pot what level heat should I be cooking this dish (shank) at for the two recommend hours?
Hello Alicia,
Once it starts boiling, reduce heat and gently simmer until the meat is tender. Happy cooking!