About
“Patience and diligence, like faith, remove mountains.” – Faust Vrančić
There are dishes that demand your time, your attention, your willingness to slow down — and pasticada is one of them. This Dalmatian classic isn’t just cooked; it’s coaxed into existence. Beef soaked for hours in wine and vinegar, pierced with slivers of garlic and herbs, then surrendered to a long, steady simmer until it softens into something you can pull apart with a fork and a sigh. The sauce that forms is deep and moody, sweet and sour at once, the kind of flavor you only earn when you’re willing to wait.
Pasticada’s roots run through centuries of Dalmatian history, back to the days when Venetian ships still dotted the Adriatic and their cooks brought with them the habit of braising meat in wine and sharpness. Over time, the people of Dalmatia took that idea and made it their own — folding in local herbs, coastal aromatics, dried fruits, and the quiet knowledge that a tough piece of beef can be transformed if you give it respect and a long afternoon on the stove.
It became the dish for life’s biggest moments: weddings, feast days, family gatherings where the table is crowded and the stories are loud. No one makes pasticada for a quick dinner. It’s a promise — that time spent together is worth something, that patience has a flavor, that some traditions stay alive simply because they’re too good to abandon.
The process is almost ritualistic. Marinate the beef in wine, vinegar, garlic, cloves. Brown it. Build the base with onions, pancetta, tomato paste. Add prunes or figs if your grandmother insists. Then let it simmer until the kitchen smells like every holiday your family ever celebrated. Serve it with gnocchi that are soft enough to cradle the sauce like they were born to do it.
Today, pasticada travels far beyond Croatia’s borders, winning over anyone willing to sit still long enough to taste what time can do. It’s a dish that rewards patience and honors tradition — proof that with enough care, even the toughest cuts can be turned into something extraordinary.
Samp is meant to be simple and nourishing. Its texture can be adjusted easily: add more water for a looser porridge or simmer longer for a thicker, almost pudding-like consistency. It is one of the closest dishes you can make today to the foods shared at the earliest recorded harvest gatherings in New England.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. Let's explore international cuisine together!
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Pasticada From Croatia
Pasticada is a flavorful beef stew that involves marinating and slow-cooking beef, typically from the shoulder or rump, in a sauce made from red wine, vinegar, and a variety of aromatic herbs and spices.
Prep time
1 day
Cook time
2-3 hours
Serves
4-5
INGREDIENTS
2.5 lbs (1.1 kg) beef shoulder or rump, keep in one large piece
1/2 pound bacon
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 carrot, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Salt, to taste
Sugar, to taste (to balance the sourness)
1/4 cup prošek (sweet dessert wine) or sweet red wine (optional)
Gnocchi or pasta, for serving
Chopped parsley, for garnish
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Instructions
A creation from the Dalmatian region of coastal Croatia, Pasticada is a unique wine and tomato braised beef roast served with gnocchi
Click here for video recipe and story on Instagram
Marinating the Meat:
In a large bowl, combine red wine, red wine vinegar, olive oil, onion, bay leaves, rosemary, thyme, and black peppercorns. This mixture will be the marinade.
Take your large piece of meat and poke large holes into the meat, then in these holes, stuff with whole pieces of garlic and chopped bacon
Place the stuffed beef in the marinade, ensuring it is submerged. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, turning the meat occasionally to evenly marinate.
Cooking the Pasticada:
Remove the beef from the marinade and pat it dry with paper towels. Strain and set aside the marinade for later use.
In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, heat a bit of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sear the beef until it is browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
Preparing the Sauce:
In the same pot, add the rest. of the chopped pancetta or bacon and sauté until it becomes slightly crispy. Remove and set aside.
In the same pot, add the chopped onion and carrot and sauté until it becomes translucent and the carrots tender.
Stir in the tomato paste and cook for a few minutes to develop flavor.
Return the seared beef and pancetta to the pot. Pour in the strained marinade, adding prošek or sweet red wine if using.
Season with salt and a pinch of sugar to balance the flavors. The marinade will be quite sour, so adjust the sugar to your taste.
Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and let it simmer gently for about 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the meat is tender and the sauce has thickened.
Finishing Touches:
Check the seasoning and adjust as needed.
If the sauce is not thick enough, you can remove the meat and simmer the sauce uncovered to thicken it. It's also possible to transfer the sauce to a blender and blend til smooth, returning to the pan and cooking for ten minutes.
Serve the Pasticada with gnocchi or pasta of your choice. Garnish with chopped parsley.
