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Overhead view of beef giouvetsi in a dark Dutch oven with orzo, beef chunks, parsley and grated cheese on a wooden table

Oven-Baked Beef Giouvetsi with Orzo and Warm Cinnamon

Beef chuck braises in tomato and cinnamon for 105 minutes, then orzo bakes in the same pot for 25 minutes. Serves 6.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 32 minutes
Total Time 3 hours 2 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 686
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 kg beef chuck (2.2 lb); cut into 4 cm / 1.5-inch cubes
  • 3 tbsp olive oil (45 ml); divided
  • 1 1/2 tsp fine sea salt divided
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1 yellow onion large (250 g); finely chopped
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 120 ml dry red wine (1/2 cup)
  • 400 g canned crushed tomatoes (14 oz can)
  • 250 ml water (1 cup)
  • 1 cinnamon stick (7 cm / 3 inch)
  • 1/2 tsp ground allspice
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 300 g orzo (about 1 1/2 cups); dry
  • 500 ml low-sodium beef stock (2 cups); hot
  • 50 g kefalotyri or Parmesan finely grated, for serving
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley chopped, for serving

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 170 C / 340 F with a rack in the lower middle. Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then toss it with 1 tsp of the salt and the pepper.
  2. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a 28 cm / 11-inch oven-safe Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in 2 batches, 5 to 6 minutes per batch, turning with tongs until the cubes are browned on at least 3 sides. Move each batch to a plate.
  3. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil and the onion. Cook for 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the garlic and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, until the paste darkens. Pour in the wine, scrape up the browned bits from the bottom, and simmer for 2 minutes.
  4. Return the beef and any juices to the pot. Add the crushed tomatoes, water, cinnamon stick, allspice, bay leaves and the remaining 1/2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, about 2 minutes, then cover and bake for 105 minutes, until a beef cube pulls apart easily with a fork.
  5. About 10 minutes before the braise ends, heat the stock in a 1.5-quart / 1.4 L saucepan until steaming. Take the pot out of the oven, remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaves, and check the beef. If it still resists a fork, cover and bake 15 more minutes. Then stir in the orzo and hot stock, scraping the bottom, and bake uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring once at the halfway point, until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.
  6. Let the pot stand uncovered for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens. Taste and add salt if needed. Sprinkle with the grated kefalotyri or Parmesan and the parsley and serve from the pot.

Notes

  • Cut the beef into 4 cm / 1.5-inch cubes so the pieces cook evenly.
  • Heat the stock before adding it, so the sauce doesn't stop simmering.
  • Let the dish stand for 10 minutes so the sauce thickens and the orzo settles.
  • Kefalotyri is salty, so taste the dish before adding extra salt at the table.