Alcatra - beef stew from the Azores

One of the traditional dishes I enjoyed while on Terceira in the Azores was alcatra so I decided to look up a recipe and test it out myself. I based my version on this recipe  We also had it made with chicken and with beans.

4 lbs beef (I used a back of rump roast because that's what I could find, probably would be preferable to use something with a bone)
1 lb slab bacon
5 medium onions
6 cloves of garlic
2 small bay leaves
1 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon of whole allspice
1 teaspoon of whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
1 bottle of red table wine





Preheat oven to 200. Cut beef into chunks, cut bacon into cubes, slice onions, cut garlic cloves in half, put everything in an oven-safe container with a lid. Cut for at least 6 hours, I cooked it for 8, you want the beef to be tender. I also checked every few hours and stirred to be sure all the meat was submerged in the wine and juices.

 Serve with a glass of red wine and bread or potatoes.