Tafelspitz

About This Recipe

Tafelspitz (literally 'table tip,' referring to the rump tip cut of beef) is Vienna's defining celebratory dish and the most important beef preparation in Austrian haute cuisine. It was the favorite dish of Emperor Franz Joseph I, who reportedly ate it for lunch almost every day. Despite its elegance, tafelspitz is fundamentally a simple dish — the quality of the beef and the patience of the cook determine everything. The boiling broth is served as a first course soup with thin pancake strips (Frittatensuppe), and the beef with its two classic sauces follows as the main course. The accompaniment of apfelkren (apple-horseradish cream) is what transforms a simple boiled beef into something extraordinary.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.5 kgbeef rump tip (tafelspitz cut)(or silverside)
• 2 mediumcarrots
• 2 stalkscelery
• 1 mediumparsley root or parsnip
• 1 largeonion(halved and charred cut-side down)
• 1 wholeleek
• 10 wholeblack peppercorns
• 2 wholebay leaves
• 1 tspsalt
• 2 litrescold water
• 3 tbspgrated fresh horseradish(or jarred)
• 1 mediumapple(grated, for apfelkren)
• 100 mlsour cream

Instructions

1. 1

   Start in cold water

   Place beef in cold water. Bring slowly to a simmer over 30 minutes. Skim foam carefully.

2. 2

   Add vegetables

   Add charred onion, carrot, celery, parsley root, leek, peppercorns, bay leaves, and salt. Simmer very gently for 2 hours.

3. 3

   Make apfelkren

   Mix grated apple, horseradish, sour cream, a pinch of sugar, and salt. Rest in fridge.

4. 4

   Rest and slice

   Remove beef and rest 10 minutes. Slice against the grain into 1cm thick pieces.

5. 5

   Serve

   Serve beef slices with apfelkren, Schnittlauchsauce (chive cream sauce), and boiled potatoes or Rösti.

Variations

• •

  Serve the broth as Frittatensuppe with thin pancake strips

• •

  Add marrow bones for extra richness

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Keeps 3 days refrigerated in its broth. The broth is precious — use for soup the next day.

Frequently Asked Questions