What Spices Do I Need to Cook Beef in Red Wine Sauce?

19 October, 2024

What cut of beef is best for beef stew?

It depends on your preference. For a hearty, flavorful stew, it’s best to use chuck eye roll, brisket, or shank meat. If you prefer a chewier texture, you can opt for beef shank.

When purchasing beef, make sure to choose a piece with a fresh pink color, avoiding any dark or dull spots. The meat should have a distinctive smell, not a putrid odor. It should feel moist yet slightly sticky, and when pressed, it should have good elasticity—these are signs of fresh, high-quality beef.

Choose the cut of beef that suits your taste preference for beef stew.

What ingredients are needed for beef stew?

The signature aroma of beef stew comes from a combination of spices, and wine is a must-have ingredient. Red wine is typically used, but if unavailable, white wine can be substituted, although the flavor won’t be quite the same. If you don’t have any wine, you could use white liquor as a last resort.

The choice of additional ingredients may vary depending on the region. Some recipes only include beef, wine, onions, garlic, butter, salt, and sugar. Others may add carrots, potatoes, and onions. In Hanoi, for example, it is customary not to include carrots or potatoes. Their traditional recipe relies on a blend of herbs and spices such as star anise, cassia bark, cloves, ginger, garlic, and peppercorns. Other essential seasonings include fish sauce, salt, and chili powder (optional).

To enhance the visual appeal of the dish, you can add a touch of annatto oil or tomato paste for a vibrant red color. Some people also use ripe gac (a type of fruit) to achieve a similar effect.

For a thicker, more luscious stew, consider adding tomatoes. Additionally, you can thicken the sauce by stir-frying flour in butter or using diluted tapioca starch.

Don’t forget to garnish the dish with some chopped scallions and cilantro before serving.

How do you prepare beef stew?

Preparing beef stew requires time for marinating and slow cooking the meat.

Start by cleaning and drying the beef, then cut it into small pieces, approximately the size of a matchbox.

For every 1kg of beef, you’ll need the following seasonings: 2 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of salt/seasoning powder, 2 teaspoons of seasoning powder, 2 teaspoons of pepper, 2 teaspoons of chili powder (optional), 3-4 tablespoons of annatto oil, minced ginger, minced garlic, 1-2 pieces of cassia bark, 1 star anise, 3-4 cloves, and 1/2 cup of red wine. Mix the beef with these seasonings and marinate for about an hour. For better results, marinate the beef overnight in the refrigerator.

To prepare the tomatoes, make a cross-shaped incision at the bottom of each tomato and blanch them in boiling water for 1-2 minutes to remove the skin easily. Soak the tomatoes in cold water, peel, and chop them.

Melt 1-2 tablespoons of butter in a pan and sauté some garlic. Add the tomatoes and cook until softened, then set aside.

In a large pot, melt another 1-2 tablespoons of butter and sear the marinated beef to lock in the flavors. Add the tomato sauce and enough water to cover the meat (you can also use wine instead of some water for a stronger wine flavor).

Adjust the seasoning to your taste and bring the stew to a boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about an hour or until the meat reaches your desired tenderness.

If you’re including potatoes and carrots, add them once the meat has softened to prevent overcooking.

To thicken the sauce, mix tapioca starch with water and stir it into the stew, or follow the French method of stir-frying flour in butter before adding it to the pot and mixing until the sauce thickens.

Garnish with scallions and cilantro before serving.