Step 1

Trim and cut the beef into 1-inch stew pieces.

Step 2

In a 4 quart pan, over medium-high heat, heat the oil. Pat the meat dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown and caramelize the beef in single-layer batches, removing the meat as it is finished. Take care not to overfill the pot with beef or the meat will simply steam rather than caramelize. Turn the heat down and add more oil as needed if the base of the pot gets burnished.

Step 3

Add the onions to the empty pot, season lightly with salt and pepper, and sauté until soft and translucent while scraping up any browned bits as you go.

Step 4

Add the caramelized meat and the cinnamon. Mix well and add the tomato sauce and the water. Cover, bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 90 minutes.

Step 5

Add the beans and cook until the beans are soft and the stew meat is very tender, another 90 minutes.