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Main Course

Tafelspitz

Tafelspitz is a classic Austrian dish featuring tender boiled beef in a flavorful broth. It is traditionally served with a variety of side dishes, including horseradish sauce, chive sauce, and root vegetables from the broth.

An original recipe by Forkin

Total time
3 hr 40 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Medium
Per serving
874 kcal
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Allergen information: may contain celery and milk. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.

Tafelspitz

Mise en place

Ingredients

Measurements

Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.

Ingredients

  • 1,200 gbeef top round, whole piece
  • 2.5 cupwater
  • 1 pcsyellow onion, halved, unpeeled
  • 2 pcscarrot, peeled, roughly chopped
  • 1 pcsleek, cleaned, roughly chopped
  • 100 gcelery root, peeled, roughly chopped
  • 2 pcsbay leaf
  • 1 tspwhole black peppercorn
  • 1 tbspsalt

chive sauce

  • 0.25 cupfresh chives, finely chopped
  • 0.5 cupsour cream

horseradish sauce

  • 2 tbspfresh horseradish, grated
  • 0.5 pcsapple, grated
  • 1 tsplemon juice
  • 0.5 tspsugar

Equipment

sharp knife · small bowls · fine-mesh sieve · large pot · cutting board

The method

Step by step

  1. 1

    Place the beef top round in a large pot and cover with water.

  2. 2

    Bring the water to a rolling boil, then immediately reduce the heat to a gentle simmer.

    About 10 min

    Cook’s note: Skim off any foam that rises to the surface during the initial boiling and simmering.

  3. 3

    Add the yellow onion, carrot, leek, celery root, bay leaf, whole black peppercorn, and salt to the pot.

    About 5 min

  4. 4

    Cover the pot and simmer gently for 2.5 to 3 hours, or until the beef is very tender.

    About 3 hr

    Cook’s note: The beef should be easily pierced with a fork.

  5. 5

    While the beef simmers, prepare the chive sauce: combine the fresh chives and sour cream in a small bowl. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, then set aside.

    About 5 min

  6. 6

    Prepare the horseradish sauce: in another small bowl, mix the fresh horseradish, apple, lemon juice, and sugar. Set aside.

    About 5 min

  7. 7

    Once cooked, carefully remove the beef from the pot and let it rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes.

    About 15 min

    Cook’s note: Resting the meat helps keep it juicy.

  8. 8

    Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Remove the cooked carrots and celery root from the sieve and slice them into bite-sized pieces.

    About 5 min

    Cook’s note: Discard the onion, leek, bay leaves, and peppercorns.

  9. 9

    Slice the rested beef against the grain into thick pieces.

  10. 10

    Serve the sliced beef immediately with a ladleful of hot broth, the reserved cooked vegetables, chive sauce, and horseradish sauce.

Per serving

Nutrition

Calories
873.7kcal
Protein
80.4g
Carbs
16.3g
Fat
51.1g
Fibre
3.1g
Sugar
7.8g

Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.

Keep it good

Storage

Store leftover Tafelspitz, broth, and sauces in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.

Reheating

Gently reheat the beef and vegetables in a portion of the broth on the stovetop over low heat until warmed through. Serve sauces at room temperature.

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