Moschari Kokkinisto | Greek Slow-Braised Beef in Tomato Sauce
There are some dishes that define a Greek kitchen. Moschari kokkinisto is one of them.
A deep pot on the stove. Olive oil shimmering. Cinnamon and bay drifting through the house. It’s not flashy food, it’s patient food. The kind that asks for time and gives back comfort. Because like my mother says, "We never rush a katsarola".
Kokkinisto simply means “reddened”, meat slowly braised in tomato until tender and rich. Every family has their version. Some heavier on tomato, some lighter and more delicate. But the heart of it is always the same: good beef, olive oil, gentle spice, and slow cooking.
This is the kind of meal that fills the house before it fills the plate.
Serving Suggestions
Moschari kokkinisto is incredibly versatile.
Serve it with:
-
Fluffy white rice
-
Pasta
-
Creamy mashed potatoes
-
Or my favourite, Greek-style fried potatoes
And always spoon plenty of sauce over the top. The sauce is everything.
This is slow food in the truest sense.
Simple ingredients, generous olive oil, and time.
And once you’ve made it, you’ll understand why a pot of kokkinisto on the stove feels like home.
MOSHARI KOKKINISTO | Greek Slow-Braised Beef in Tomato Sauce
Mary PolitisIngredients
- 1.5 kg chuck steak cut into large pieces and well trimmed of excess fat
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil for browning the meat
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 400 g tomato passata
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 bay leaves
- Water enough to just cover the meat
Instructions
- Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.
- Heat the 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a deep, heavy-based pot over medium-high heat. Brown the meat in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Take your time here — good colour means good flavour. Once browned, remove the meat and set aside.
- Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 80 ml of olive oil to the same pot. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook briefly until fragrant.
- Add the tomato passata, cinnamon stick, and bay leaves. Stir well, letting the tomato cook gently for a minute or two to deepen in flavour.
- Return the meat to the pot and mix it through the sauce. Pour in enough water to just reach the top of the meat — not drown it. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover and cook over medium heat for up to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened beautifully. If it thickens too quickly during cooking, add a little more water as needed.
- In the final 30 minutes, you can remove the lid to allow the sauce to reduce further and become richer.