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Youvetsi — Greek Beef Baked with Orzo
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Source: https://recipheon.com/en/recipes/main-dishes/youvetsi-greek-beef-baked-with-orzo
About this recipe
Youvetsi is a Greek dish of tender beef and small orzo pasta baked in tomato sauce. The beef is browned first, then braised slowly, covered, with onion, garlic, and a little cinnamon. Only when the meat pulls apart easily with a fork are the dry pasta and hot water added to the sauce. The orzo absorbs liquid as it bakes, combining with the beef into a juicy dish. Choose beef shoulder for braising and a wide, heavy pot with a lid that can also go in the oven. Gentle braising keeps the sauce from evaporating too quickly, while a short rest lets the pasta absorb some of the remaining liquid. These ingredients make four generous servings. Allow about four hours; braising time depends on the meat, so check its tenderness before adding the orzo.
Ingredients
Beef and Orzo
900 g raw boneless beef shoulder (chuck), weighed after trimming away thick membranes
320 g dry durum wheat orzo, also called risoni, made without eggs
400 g unsalted strained tomatoes (passata), made only from tomatoes
180 g raw peeled yellow onion
12 g raw peeled garlic
45 ml extra virgin olive oil: 30 ml for browning the beef and 15 ml for the onion
900 ml water: 300 ml for braising the beef and 600 ml for the pasta
7 g fine salt
0.5 g ground black pepper
0.5 g ground cinnamon
Steps
Use a wide, heavy pot suitable for the oven, holding about 5–6 liters, with a well-fitting lid and a base about 28 cm across. Pat the beef dry and cut into pieces about 4 cm across. Finely chop the onion and garlic.
Heat the pot over medium-high heat. Using a total of 30 ml of olive oil, brown the beef in three batches for about 5 minutes each, turning the pieces until browned on several sides. Leave space between the pieces so they sear rather than stew in their released liquid. Transfer the browned pieces to a bowl, reserving their juices.
AI-generated Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the remaining 15 ml of olive oil. Add the onion and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and cinnamon and stir for about 1 minute to release their aroma without burning.
Pour in the passata and 300 ml of water, then add all the salt and pepper. Scrape up the browned bits from the bottom with a spoon and return the beef along with the juices from the bowl. Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, then cover the pot.
Braise covered over low heat for about 2–2.5 hours, keeping the sauce at a gentle bubble. Halfway through, gently stir the beef and sauce, then cover snugly again to reduce evaporation. The beef should pull apart easily with a fork; if it is still a little firm, continue braising gently until fully tender before adding the pasta. Toward the end of braising, preheat a conventional oven (no fan) to 180°C.
AI-generated Bring the remaining 600 ml of water to a boil in a kettle or saucepan. Add the dry egg-free durum wheat orzo to the tender beef and pour in the hot water. Stir thoroughly, distributing the pasta throughout the sauce, including at the bottom. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes; the mixture should be noticeably fluid because the orzo will absorb some of the sauce as it bakes.
AI-generated Place the uncovered pot on the middle oven rack and bake for about 20–25 minutes. After about 10 minutes, gently stir the orzo at the bottom and around the edges so it cooks evenly. Stop baking when the pasta is tender but not overcooked, with some loose sauce still between the pieces. Do not wait for the whole surface to dry out: the orzo mixture will thicken further as it rests.
Remove the pot from the oven and let stand for about 10 minutes without a lid so the pasta absorbs some of the remaining liquid. Gently stir and divide into four servings, distributing the beef and pasta evenly. Serve warm.
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