Giouvetsi casserole in Dutch oven

For the stock

Cube the onion, carrot, and celery stalk. Place them all in a saucepan together with olive oil and sauté lightly until they soften. Add the spices and room temperature water, bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, strain well, and the broth is ready.

Main recipe

Finely chop the onion and set aside. In a Dutch oven, which is ideal for the stove and the oven, add the olive oil and sauté the meat. Leave plenty of space for each piece and turn them carefully to brown on all sides. It’s not necessary to add them all in one go. After they are sautéed and get a nice colour, remove them. Add the onions and let them caramelise. Then

Place the meat back in, add the tomato paste, salt, cinnamon, and anise.
Mix well and deglaze with wine. Let the alcohol evaporate and add the tomato juice and broth. Cover well with the Dutch oven lid and seal the openings with tin foil. Place the Dutch oven in an oven pre-heated to 180°C. Lower the heat to 160^oC and leave it for about an hour.

Try the meat once again to see if it is soft, add the orzo and leave for 10 more minutes. Turn off the heat and leave it in the oven for 20 minutes. Serve optionally with parmesan or xinomyzithra cheese and plenty of pepper.

EXTRA TIP

This cut of meat becomes more tender and tastier as it is slowly cooked.