Austrian Zwiebelrostbraten (Beef with Crispy Onions)

About This Recipe

Zwiebelrostbraten is one of Vienna's most beloved traditional dishes — a thick sirloin steak, sautéed and rested in a rich beef jus, crowned with a towering pile of crispy fried onion rings. It's found at every Viennese Gasthof (traditional restaurant) and represents the hearty, satisfying character of Austrian meat cookery. The sweet-savory fried onions are the soul of the dish.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 piecesbeef sirloin steaks (200g each)
• 1 kgonions, two-thirds sliced into thin rings, one-third finely chopped
• 1 cupall-purpose flour (for onion rings)
• 1 cupbeef stock
• 1/2 cupred wine
• 4 tbspbutter
• 2 cupsoil for frying
• 1 tspsalt
• 1/2 tspblack pepper

Instructions

1. 1

   Fry the onion rings

   Separate onion rings, toss in flour, shake off excess. Fry in hot oil in batches at 180°C until golden and very crispy. Drain and season with salt. Keep warm.

2. 2

   Season and cook the steaks

   Score the fat rim of each steak. Season generously. Sear in butter over high heat for 2–3 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove and rest.

3. 3

   Make the jus

   Add finely chopped onion to the same pan. Cook until soft. Add red wine, scraping up the browned bits. Add beef stock and simmer 5 minutes until slightly reduced.

4. 4

   Serve

   Place steak in a shallow bowl. Ladle jus over and around. Top with a generous mountain of crispy onion rings.

Variations

• •

  Add mushrooms to the jus

• •

  Serve with Viennese potato salad (in a warm vinegar dressing)

• •

  Make with pork instead of beef

• •

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

Storage

Best eaten immediately. Leftovers can be refrigerated 2 days.

Frequently Asked Questions