Beef and Olive Stew with Scented Red Wine

Another great recipe from Deborah Krasner’s cookbook Good Meat! I let the beef stew meat wet-dry (thaw) in fridge for about 7 to 10 days before making this stew. The meat was incredibly tender. I cook with salted, whole milk, raw butter from my farmer and I used my homemade beef stock and I used pasture raised bacon.

For the Marinade:
2/3 cup red wine
Zest of 1 orange removed with a vegetable peeler in big strips
1 stick cinnamon
3 whole cloves
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
4 or 5 sprigs fresh thyme

Other Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/2 pounds grass-fed stew beef
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped bacon or pancetta (or all olive oil, if preferred)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1 cup water or homemade beef stock
1 cup of olives, mixed green and black or all one type
Kosher salt

Optional Topping:
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Creme Fraiche

Mix the marinade ingredients together and add the beef. Refrigerate all day or overnight. Heat the oven to 325 degrees. Remove the meat from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Bring the beef to room temperature and blot it dry. Heat the pot you will cook the stew in, and add the olive oil. Brown the meat on all sides and remove it to a plate.

Add the bacon or pancetta to the pot and cook it over medium-low heat to render the fat (or use 1/4 cup olive oil); add the onion, carrot, and celery. Cook, stirring occasionally,  until the vegetables have softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Return the meat to the pot, along with the marinade. Add as much water or stock as necessary to just cover the meat. Add the olives and salt to taste. Bring just to a boil and immediately remove from the heat.

Put the pot in the middle of the oven and slow-bake for about 2 hours, or until the meat is soft and fragrant. If you plan to use the topping, mix all the chopped ingredients together. To serve, discard the stems left from the thyme, as well as the orange peel. Ladle the stew into shallow bowls on top of noodles, polenta, rice, or mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with a little of the topping and a dollop of Creme Fraiche.