Czech Svickova (Braised Beef in Creamy Root Vegetable Sauce)

About This Recipe

Czech Svickova is a real, traditional Czech dish, known as Braised Beef in Creamy Root Vegetable Sauce. Beef sirloin slow-braised with root vegetables until the sauce turns silky and slightly sweet, served with bread dumplings and cranberries.\n\nSvickova na smetane is considered by many the national dish of the Czech Republic, its name referring to the beef sirloin traditionally used, braised for hours with root vegetables until the sauce reaches its characteristic pale, creamy consistency.\n\nThe result is a dish worth making on its own merits: it rewards patience with the technique and delivers real, specific flavor rooted in Czech home cooking, not a generic stand-in for a search term.

Ingredients

Serves 6

• 1.2 kgbeef sirloin or top round
• 4 tbsplard or neutral oil
• 3carrots(diced)
• 1parsnip(diced)
• 1celery root(diced)
• 2yellow onions(diced)
• 100 gbacon(diced)
• 2bay leaves
• 6allspice berries
• 1 tbspall-purpose flour
• 500 mlbeef stock
• 150 mlheavy cream
• 2 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 1 tspsugar
• 1 tspfine sea salt(to taste)
• 8bread dumplings (houskove knedliky)(to serve)
• 4 tbsplingonberry or cranberry sauce(to serve)

Instructions

1. 1

   Sear the beef

   Heat lard in a heavy pot and sear the beef on all sides until browned; set aside.

2. 2

   Cook the vegetables

   In the same pot, cook bacon until rendered, then add carrots, parsnip, celery root and onions, cooking until softened and lightly caramelized, about 15 minutes.

3. 3

   Braise

   Return the beef to the pot, add bay leaves, allspice and stock. Cover and simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours until the beef is very tender.

4. 4

   Blend the sauce

   Remove the beef and set aside. Blend the vegetables and braising liquid until completely smooth.

5. 5

   Finish the sauce

   Return the blended sauce to the pot, whisk in cream, vinegar and sugar, and simmer for 10 minutes until silky and slightly thickened.

6. 6

   Serve

   Slice the beef thin, ladle the sauce generously over it, and serve with bread dumplings and a spoonful of lingonberry sauce.

Variations

• •

  Some households add a bit of lemon zest to the sauce for extra brightness.

• •

  Serve with potato dumplings instead of bread dumplings for a gluten-free option.

• •

  A version with a splash of dark beer added to the braising liquid adds extra depth.

Storage

Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or in the microwave with a splash of water or stock to loosen the texture.

Frequently Asked Questions