CINNAMON BEEF STEW WITH ORANGE GREMOLATA

SERVES 6 to 10 Stews are lovely because, while they simmer, I forget that I’m the one who made them. When it’s time to sit down and eat, I feel as if someone else cooked for me. What a treat! In this flavorful stew, the cinnamon and herbs create a mellow, earthy gravy that’s a foil for the bright, tart taste of the orange gremolata on top. It’s sophisticated comfort food. INGREDIENTS STEW: • 2-3 pounds (1361 g) beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes • salt and black pepper, to taste • 3 tablespoons (45 ml) coconut oil • 1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped (about 1/4 cup (960 ml)) • 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup (240 ml)) • 1 medium celery stalk, finely chopped (about 1/4 cup (960 ml)) • 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons (10 ml)) • 2 tablespoons tomato paste • 1/2 cup (480 ml) beef broth • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar • 3-5 cups (1200 ml) water • 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt • 1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground black pepper • 2 bay leaves • 1 sprig fresh rosemary (or 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) dried) • 1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) dried) • 1 sprig fresh sage (or 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) dried) • 2 cinnamon sticks, extra-virgin olive oil, for garnish (optional) ORANGE GREMOLATA: • 1/2 cup (480 ml) fresh parsley leaves, finely minced (about 2 tablespoons (30 ml)) • zest from 1 orange (about 2 tablespoons (30 ml)) • leaves from 1 sprig fresh thyme (1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) dried) • 2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons (10 ml)) • 1/2 teaspoon (10 ml) rose water (optional) DIRECTIONS 1. Sprinkle the beef generously with salt and pepper. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the coconut oil over medium-high heat, then add the meat in batches and sear on all sides. It’s important that you don’t crowd the pan. The meat needs air around it to achieve a crisp brown crust. With tongs or a slotted spoon, remove the browned pieces to a bowl to catch their juice. Repeat with the remaining cubes. 2. In the same pot, sauté the chopped carrot, onion, celery, and garlic for about 2 minutes, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the tomato paste and stir for about 1 minute. 3. Deglaze the pan. Which is just a cook’s way to say: Add the broth and vinegar, then stir with passion, scraping up all the wonderful brown bits at the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring until the mixture starts to thicken. 4. Put the meat and its drippings back into the pot. Add 3 cups (720 ml) water, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt, a healthy dose of pepper, the bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, sage, and cinnamon sticks. 5. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer with the pot only partially covered for about 90 minutes. This is not a soupy stew, but if the stew starts to dry out, add more water, about a 1/2 cup (480 ml) at a time. Simmer until the meat is fall-apart tender and the liquid in the pan has been reduced to gravy-like status. 6. During the last 15 minutes of stew cooking time, make the gremolata. In a small bowl, mix the parsley, orange zest, thyme, garlic, and rose water. 7. Remove the cinnamon sticks and herb stems from the stew pot. Ladle the stew into deep bowls and top with a few pinches of orange gremolata. Bonus points if you also add a light drizzle of olive oil. 8. Eat the orange gremolata immediately to enjoy the full effects of the aromatic orange oils. It will keep in the refrigerator for a few days, but it’s best when it’s fresh.

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Cinnamon beef stew with orange gremolata is sophisticated comfort food: beef seared hard, then slow-simmered with cinnamon sticks, rosemary, thyme, and sage until it falls apart in a mellow, gravy-like sauce. The bright orange-parsley gremolata stirred over each bowl lifts the whole dish from cozy to elegant. This is the stew that makes you feel like someone else cooked for you.

Pro Tips

• Sear the beef in batches and never crowd the pan. The meat needs air around it to build the crisp brown crust that flavors the entire stew.
• Deglaze with the broth and vinegar and scrape with passion — those browned bits at the bottom are the base of the gravy.
• Keep the pot only partially covered during the 90-minute simmer. The liquid reduces to gravy-like consistency rather than a thin, soupy broth.
• Make the gremolata in the last 15 minutes and eat it fresh. The aromatic orange oils are at their peak right after mixing.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the orange gremolata do for this stew?

It is the bright, tart counterpoint to the mellow cinnamon gravy — fresh parsley, orange zest, thyme, and garlic that lift every bite.

Can I make this stew in a slow cooker?

Yes — sear the meat and build the base first, then braise low and slow until the beef is fall-apart tender. Add the gremolata fresh at serving.

How long does this beef stew keep?

Up to 4 days in the fridge and the flavor improves overnight. The stew is designed to be thick, not soupy.

How many servings does this recipe make?

Six to ten servings — it scales up beautifully for a crowd and freezes perfectly.

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