Svíčková na smetaně: Beef in Cream Sauce
Copyright: Traditional Recipes

Svíčková na smetaně: Beef in Cream Sauce

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If you visit Prague or any home in the Czech Republic on a Sunday, you are highly likely to smell this dish cooking. Svíčková na smetaně is basically the king of Czech comfort food. It looks fancy when served, but it is actually just a pot roast cooked with a mountain of root vegetables, blended up with cream, and served with bread dumplings.

The reality of the meat choice

The name svíčková refers to the beef tenderloin. In the real world, cooking a tenderloin by braising it for two hours is a waste of money and a very expensive cut of meat. Most Czech home cooks I know use beef round, chuck roast, or shoulder instead. It has more fat, does not dry out as easily, and tastes much beefier after simmering. Save the tenderloin for steaks.

You will need to lard the meat. This just means sticking cold strips of bacon inside the beef. Because round or chuck can be lean, the bacon keeps it from turning into dry leather while it cooks in the pot.

How to get the vegetable base right

The sauce gets all its flavor from three main root vegetables: carrots, celeriac, and parsnips. You need a lot of them. I usually aim for a pile of chopped vegetables that looks almost as big as the piece of meat itself. Do not skimp on the celeriac - that ugly, knobby root is what gives the sauce its characteristic earthy depth.

The trick is to brown the vegetables in butter and bacon fat until they look quite dark, almost like they are starting to burn. If you stop when they are just soft, your sauce will taste weak and sugary instead of rich and savory.

Putting the sauce together

Once the meat is tender, you take it out and blend the vegetables. Some old-school cooks still pass everything through a fine sieve using a wooden spoon. That takes forever. A immersion blender makes the sauce thick and smooth in about two minutes. Just remember to fish out the bay leaves and allspice balls before you start blending, or you will ruin the whole batch with bitter, grainy specks.

Expert tips:

Tying up the spices

Hunting for peppercorns and allspice in a pot of mushy vegetables is annoying. I put them in a small metal tea infuser or a piece of cheesecloth tied with kitchen string. When the meat is done cooking, you just pull the whole bundle out in one go.

Make it a day ahead

This is one of those dishes that tastes noticeably better the next day. The flavors in the sauce blend together while sitting in the fridge, and the cold meat is much easier to slice neatly without crumbling apart. Just reheat the slices slowly in the sauce.

Storage:

How to store

Keep the sliced beef and the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. It is best to store them together so the meat does not dry out.

Shelf life

It will keep well in the refrigerator for up to three days.

Freezing instructions

I do not recommend freezing the sauce once the cream has been added, as it tends to separate and look grainy when thawed. If you want to freeze it, blend the vegetables and freeze the base, then add the fresh cream when reheating.

Recipe information:

timer

Preparation

45 mins
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Total

2 hours 45 mins
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Yield

6 servings
3 (1)
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The Meat and Larding

  • about 1 kg of beef round, chuck, or shoulder
  • 100g of cold smoked bacon, cut into thick strips
  • Salt and black pepper for seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons of lard or vegetable oil

The Vegetable Base and Sauce

  • 2 large carrots, chopped coarse
  • 1 parsnip, chopped coarse
  • half of a medium celeriac, peeled and chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 70g of butter
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 4 tablespoons of vinegar
  • about 4 cups of hot beef broth
  • 4 bay leaves
  • 8 allspice berries
  • 10 black peppercorns
  • 250ml of heavy cream
  • juice of half a lemon

Substitutions for ingredients:

  • Celeriac - You can use celery stalks if you cannot find celeriac, but the flavor will be less earthy. Use about three large stalks of celery instead.
  • Vinegar - Standard white vinegar works best, but apple cider vinegar is a good alternative if you want a slightly fruitier sour note.

Preparation

1. Larding the beef

Put your bacon strips in the freezer for ten minutes so they stiffen up. Use a long, narrow knife to poke deep holes in the beef, following the grain. Push the cold bacon strips deep into these holes. Season the outside of the meat generously with salt and black pepper.

2. Browning the meat

Melt the lard or oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until it develops a dark brown crust. This should take about ten minutes. Take the meat out and set it aside on a plate.

3. Caramelizing the vegetables

Turn the heat down to medium. Toss the butter into the same pot, then add the chopped carrots, parsnip, and celeriac. Stir them around and let them cook until they start turning golden-brown. Stir in the onions and keep cooking until everything is dark orange and smells sweet. Sprinkle the sugar over the vegetables and let it melt and bubble for two minutes.

4. Simmering

Pour in the vinegar. It will smell very strong - let it bubble and evaporate almost completely so the harsh sourness cooks off. Put the beef back into the pot along with any juices from the plate. Add the bay leaves, allspice, and peppercorns. Pour in enough hot beef broth so the meat is about halfway submerged. Cover with a lid, turn the heat to low, and let it simmer until the beef is soft enough to poke with a fork easily, usually about two hours.

5. Finishing the sauce

Lift the meat out of the pot and wrap it in foil so it stays warm. Fish out the bay leaves, peppercorns, and allspice berries. Use a hand blender to puree the vegetables and liquid until it looks like a thick, smooth soup. Pour in the heavy cream and stir well. Let it simmer gently on low heat for five minutes. Squeeze in the lemon juice, taste it, and add more salt, sugar, or a drip of vinegar if it needs more balance.

6. Serving

Slice the beef across the grain into thick pieces. Serve each slice drenched in the warm cream sauce, with a side of bread dumplings, a spoonful of canned cranberries, and a slice of lemon on top.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ):

Can I make Svíčková in a slow cooker?

Yes, you can do this easily. Brown the seasoned beef and the vegetables in a pan first, then transfer everything to your slow cooker with the spices and broth. Cook on low for about seven to eight hours before removing the meat and blending the sauce.

What if I do not have bread dumplings?

While bread dumplings are the traditional side, you can serve Svíčková with boiled potatoes, potato dumplings, or even thick-cut egg noodles. The sauce is the star of the plate anyway.

Do I have to use bacon for larding?

If you are using a lean cut of beef like round, yes, the bacon is highly recommended. Without it, the meat will feel dry in your mouth, even when covered in cream sauce. Fatback or pancetta also work.