Beef stew with small onions: Melts in your fork

There are foods that are not just recipes. They are smells, Sundays, family tables.
Beef stew is exactly that. A warm dish, deep in flavor, that fills the house with aroma and the heart with warmth.

If you've tried it but are afraid to make it, you've come to the right place. Today we'll see how to make it soft, juicy, and melt in your mouth, even if it's your first time cooking it.

Which cut of beef is ideal for stew?

For the stew to be successful, you need a cut that can withstand slow cooking and has enough collagen to soften properly.

The best options are:

• Olive
• Mouse
• Shoulder

These pieces, when cooked slowly, become buttery without falling apart.

👉 Ask your butcher to cut it into 4–5 cm portions. Not too small, because they will dry out.

Small onions make all the difference

Authentic stew requires small stew onions.
They provide natural sweetness and go wonderfully with the sauce.

Secret to easy cleaning:

• You put them in boiling water for 1 minute.
• You're draining them.
• The peel almost comes off on its own.

Ingredients (for 4 people)

1.5 kilos of veal (olive or mouse)

1 kilo of small onions

2 cloves garlic

2 bay leaves

4–5 allspice grains

1 cinnamon stick (optional)

1 glass of red wine

400 g grated tomato

2 tbsp. paste

Olive oil

Salt & pepper

Step by step: How to become tender

1️⃣ Proper sautéing
Heat the pot well.
Pour a little olive oil and sauté the meat in batches.

Don't squeeze it.
If the temperature drops, it will release liquids and will not “seal”.
We want it to get a nice color on all sides.

2️⃣ Extinguishing with wine
Once it is golden brown, deglaze with the red wine.
Leave it for 2–3 minutes for the alcohol to evaporate.
This gives depth to the flavor.

3️⃣ Add the flavors
Put:

• Daphne
• Allspice
• Cinnamon (if you like it more traditional)

Add the tomato and a little hot water to cover the meat.

4️⃣ Low heat and patience
The secret is here.

Simmer for about 1.5 – 2 hours over low heat.
The meat should not be boiling vigorously — just “breathing.”
The more slowly it cooks, the more tender it becomes.

5️⃣ Add the onions
In a separate pan, lightly sauté them until they are shiny.
Add them to the pot during the last 30–40 minutes.

This way they stay whole and don't fall apart.

How do we know it's ready?

• The fork goes in without resistance.
• The meat is cut without a knife.
• The sauce has thickened and is thick.

If he needs more time, give it to him.
The stew is not rushed.

The 4 most common mistakes

• Boil over high heat.
• We put the onions in from the beginning.
• Cut the meat into very small pieces.
• We don't give the sauce time to "set".

What do we serve it with?

Beef stew goes ideally with:

• Mashed potatoes
• Rice pilaf
• Noodles
• Fresh village bread

And of course... good company.