Braised Beef Cubes with Garlic
This is an original Czech recipe for slow-braised beef cubes in garlic sauce. The dish is very popular in the Czech Republic, often served with potato dumplings and stewed spinach.
Servings 4
Calories 355kcal
Ingredients
- 1 and ½ lbs (680 g) beef chuck or round
- 3 cloves of garlic
- 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp pork lard or sunflower/Canola oil
- 1 onion large
- 1 and ½ tsp salt
- water in which the meat will stew
Instructions
- Cut the beef into cubes about 1 inch (3 cm) in size. Peel the onion and chop it finely. Peel and press the garlic.
- Salt the meat cubes and mix with garlic.
- Heat the lard or oil in a frying pan to a higher temperature and brown the meat in it. The meat will probably release its juices. Cook until the juices evaporate and the meat cubes are golden brown. Stir.
- Remove the fried meat and fry the onion in the same fat. If it sticks to the bottom of the pan, add a tablespoon of water. Using a flat spatula, scrape the drippings from the bottom of the pan and stir them into the onions.
- Return the beef cubes to the onions, cover with water so that the meat is half submerged. Cover with a lid, turn the heat down to a minimum and simmer until the beef is tender. Stewing time for beef cubes: 2-3 hours.
- At the end of the stewing (the meat is already soft and tender), remove the lid, add a little water if necessary and dust the surface of the stew with flour through a sieve. Put the lid back on and let the flour steam for 15 minutes at low heat - do not stir!
- Finally, season with salt to taste, stir and serve.
Notes
- SERVING: Beef cubes with garlic gravy are best served with potato dumplings and steamed spinach. Garnish the dumplings with fried onion rings for effect and flavor.
- Prepare the beef half an hour in advance. Cut into cubes, mix with salt and garlic and leave to marinate at room temperature. The meat will smell more of garlic.
- The trick of dusting the beef with flour will ensure that the juices thicken gently, yet no lumps form. There is no need for a roux either.
- You can also prepare this recipe in a slow cooker. I recommend that the initial stage (frying the meat and onions) be done in a skillet and then put to simmer in the slow cooker.
Nutrition
Calories: 355kcal