Peppered Steak With Spinners Recipe

Season beef

Pat beef cubes dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss beef with kosher salt, 2 tsp freshly ground black pepper, smoked paprika and cayenne until evenly coated. Let rest 10 minutes while you prepare other ingredients.

Brown beef

Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until shimmering. Working in a single layer (do not overcrowd), sear beef cubes 2–3 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer seared beef to a plate and repeat until all beef is browned. Leave browned bits in the pot.

Sauté aromatics

Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp additional olive oil to the pot. Add diced onion and a pinch of salt; cook 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant.

Add herbs and tomato paste

Stir in tomato paste, bay leaves and thyme sprigs; cook 1–2 minutes to deepen the tomato paste flavor and coat the aromatics.

Create roux and deglaze

Sprinkle 2 tbsp flour over the aromatics and stir for 1 minute to remove raw flour taste. Pour in red wine (if using) and scrape up browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let wine reduce by half, about 2 minutes.

Add broth and simmer

Slowly whisk in 3 cups beef broth until smooth. Add Worcestershire sauce. Return the browned beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and simmer for 30 minutes to tenderize the beef.

Add potatoes and carrots

After the beef has simmered 30 minutes, add halved baby potatoes and sliced carrots to the pot. Continue to simmer, covered, for another 15 minutes, or until potatoes and carrots are nearly tender.

Cook spinners

While vegetables cook, bring a separate pot of salted water to a boil and cook 8 oz dry spinners (rotini) according to package instructions until just al dente (usually 8–10 minutes). Drain and set aside. Alternatively, for a one-pot finish, stir 3/4 cup additional beef broth into the stew and add spinners directly to the pot, cooking 8–10 minutes until al dente, stirring frequently; add extra liquid as needed.

Finish stew with peas and pasta

If using frozen peas, stir in the peas during the last 2 minutes to heat through. If pasta was cooked separately, add drained spinners to the stew now and stir to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Rest and serve

Remove bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Let stew rest 5 minutes to thicken slightly. Stir in chopped parsley and additional freshly ground black pepper to taste. Serve hot, spooning beef, vegetables and spinners into bowls.