Hachee (Dutch Beef and Onion Stew)
In short: Beef slowly stewed with plenty of onions, bay and cloves until the meat is tender and the sauce is sweet and tangy. Served with potatoes and red cabbage. It takes about 3 h 15 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 2 h 50 min
- Total
- 3 h 15 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 430 kcal
Hachee is an old Dutch stew of beef and a great many onions, flavored with bay leaf, cloves and a splash of vinegar. The onions break down during the long, slow cooking into a thick, sweet sauce, and the vinegar keeps it from tasting heavy. It is served with boiled potatoes and braised red cabbage with apple, and it tastes even better the next day.
Instructions
- Pat the beef dry and season with the salt and pepper. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat and brown the beef in 2 batches, about 4 minutes each. Set it aside.
- Add the remaining oil and the onions to the pot with a pinch of salt. Cook over medium heat for 20 minutes, stirring often, until deep golden.
- Stir in the flour for 1 minute, then add the vinegar, sugar and mustard and scrape up the browned bits from the base of the pot.
- Return the beef to the pot and add the stock, bay leaves and cloves. The liquid should barely cover the meat.
- Bring to a simmer, cover and cook on low heat for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, stirring now and then, until the beef is very tender.
- If the sauce is thin, uncover for the last 20 minutes. Taste and adjust with a little vinegar or sugar, then remove the bay leaves and cloves.
- Serve with boiled potatoes and braised red cabbage.
Tips
- Cook the onions until golden and soft. This long step makes the sauce thick without much flour. Push the cloves into a piece of onion so they are easy to find at the end.
- Make it a day ahead, because the sauce thickens and the flavors deepen overnight. Leftover hachee is excellent in a bread roll.
Questions and answers
What do you serve with hachee?
Boiled potatoes and braised red cabbage with apple are the classic partners.
Can I freeze hachee?
Yes. Freeze it in portions for up to 3 months and thaw overnight in the fridge.
Is hachee the same as goulash?
No. Hachee is flavored with vinegar, bay and cloves and has no paprika, while goulash is built on paprika and has a red sauce.
How long does it take to make Hachee (Dutch Beef and Onion Stew)?
About 3 h 15 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 2 h 50 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Hachee (Dutch Beef and Onion Stew)?
About 430 kcal per serving, with 41 g of protein, 25 g of carbohydrates and 18 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 430 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 41 g |
| Carbohydrates | 25 g |
| Fat | 18 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 12 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
