Tafelspitz (Viennese Boiled Beef with Apple Horseradish)
In short: Beef rump cap simmered gently with root vegetables until tender, served with apple horseradish, chive sauce and fried potatoes. It takes about 3 h 30 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 3 h
- Total
- 3 h 30 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 540 kcal
Tafelspitz is the great Viennese boiled beef, named for the cut, the tip of the rump. It is simmered very gently for hours with root vegetables until tender, and the broth is served first as a soup. The meat follows, sliced across the grain, with apple horseradish, a creamy chive sauce and fried potatoes. It is a Sunday and holiday meal, easy to cook and rewarding to eat, and the broth makes a second meal.
Instructions
- Char the cut sides of the onion halves in a dry pan until dark. Put the water in a large pot with the onions, celeriac, leek, parsley root, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil.
- Lower the beef into the pot. The water should cover it. Return to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce to the gentlest simmer, with only a bubble breaking the surface now and then.
- Cook with the lid ajar for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, adding the carrots for the last 45 minutes, until the beef is tender when pierced with a fork.
- Meanwhile, make the apple horseradish by mixing the grated apple, horseradish, sugar and lemon juice. Cover and chill.
- For the chive sauce, stir the sour cream with the chives, mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper. Chill.
- Boil the potatoes in salted water for 20 to 25 minutes until tender, cool slightly, peel and slice. Fry in the butter over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes until golden and crisp at the edges.
- Lift the beef onto a board and rest it for 10 minutes. Strain the broth and season to taste. Serve the broth first in warm cups with chives, or save it for later.
- Slice the beef across the grain into thick slices and moisten with a ladle of hot broth. Serve with the carrots, potatoes, apple horseradish and chive sauce.
Tips
- Never let the pot boil hard, because a hard boil toughens the meat and clouds the broth. The surface should barely move.
- Fresh horseradish makes the sharpest sauce. If you use jarred horseradish, drain it well and use a little less. The broth freezes for up to 3 months and is good in soups and risotto.
Questions and answers
What cut of beef is Tafelspitz?
It is the tip of the rump cap, a lean cut with a thin layer of fat that stays tender when simmered. Outside Austria, ask your butcher for rump cap, top round or silverside.
Can I make Tafelspitz ahead?
Yes. Cook it a day ahead and keep the beef in its broth in the fridge, then reheat it gently in the broth. Once cold, the fat on the broth is easy to lift off.
What do you serve with Tafelspitz?
Traditionally, apple horseradish (Apfelkren), chive sauce (Schnittlauchsauce) and fried potatoes (Rösterdäpfel). The broth is served first, often with noodles or pancake strips.
How long does it take to make Tafelspitz (Viennese Boiled Beef with Apple Horseradish)?
About 3 h 30 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 3 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Tafelspitz (Viennese Boiled Beef with Apple Horseradish)?
About 540 kcal per serving, with 45 g of protein, 40 g of carbohydrates and 22 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 540 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 45 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Fat | 22 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 1300 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
