Austrian · Main · Medium
Tafelspitz
Austria's beloved boiled beef: a whole cut simmered with root vegetables in clear broth, sliced thin and served with apple horseradish.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Tafelspitz, in 5 ideas
- Charring the onion halves in a dry pan adds golden color and depth to the broth
- Keep the simmer barely bubbling for a crystal-clear broth
- Save the extra broth; it is liquid gold for soups and risottos
- Apple horseradish is the classic accompaniment and worth making fresh
- Slice against the grain for the most tender bite
What you need
Ingredients
- 3 lbs beef brisket or tri-tip in one piece
- 12 cups water
- 2 onions, halved and charred
- 3 carrots, peeled
- 2 parsnips, peeled
- 1/2 celeriac, peeled and quartered
- 1 leek, cleaned
- 6 black peppercorns
- 3 bay leaves
- 1 tablespoon salt
- Apple horseradish and chives for serving
How to make it
Directions
- Place the beef in a large pot with the water and bring slowly to a boil, skimming off any foam.
- Add the charred onions, vegetables, peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt.
- Reduce to the gentlest simmer and cook for 2 and a half to 3 hours, until the beef is completely tender.
- Remove the beef and keep warm. Strain the broth and return the carrots and celeriac to it.
- Slice the beef thinly against the grain.
- Serve the slices in bowls of hot broth with the vegetables, topped with chives and apple horseradish on the side.
Money saver. One pot of Tafelspitz gives you dinner plus quarts of premium beef broth, which would cost a fortune to buy.