Svíčková

Svíčková na smetaně (Czech Marinated Beef Sirloin in Cream Sauce)

The pride of Czech Sunday lunch: marinated beef sirloin, slow-roasted and served in a velvety, slightly sweet sauce of puréed root vegetables and cream, accompanied by bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky) and a spoonful of cranberry compote.

Prep

40 min

Cook

180 min

Total

220 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •1500 g (3¼ lb) beef sirloin (whole piece, eye of sirloin), tied, larded with strips of carrot and bacon if traditional
• •500 ml (2 cups) red wine vinegar, or a mix of vinegar and red wine
• •500 ml (2 cups) water
• •2 whole carrots, plus 1 extra for the sauce
• •1 whole onion
• •1 small celeriac, about 300 g / 10½ oz
• •1 small parsley root, optional but traditional
• •2 tbsp whole allspice berries
• •2 whole bay leaves
• •1 tsp whole black peppercorns
• •1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
• •3 tbsp lard or unsalted butter, for searing
• •2 tbsp plain flour, for the roux
• •200 ml (¾ cup + 1 tbsp) double (heavy) cream, sour cream can replace up to half
• •1 tsp sugar, to balance the acidity
• •1 tbsp lemon juice
• •200 g (7 oz) cranberry compote, to serve
• •1 slice lemon, to garnish, traditional
• •6 pieces bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky), see separate recipe; in a home kitchen this is the realistic substitute for the classic side

Steps

1. 1 Marinate the beef: place the sirloin in a non-reactive dish with 1 roughly chopped carrot, 1 quartered onion, allspice, bay leaves, peppercorns, salt, vinegar and water. Marinate 24–48 hours in the fridge, turning once or twice.
2. 2 Remove the beef from the marinade and pat very dry. Strain the marinade and reserve both the liquid and the strained vegetables separately.
3. 3 In a heavy Dutch oven, melt the lard or butter over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on all sides until deep brown, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
4. 4 Lower the heat to medium. Add the reserved marinade vegetables and the remaining roughly chopped onion, carrot, celeriac and parsley root. Cook, stirring, until lightly caramelised, 6–8 minutes.
5. 5 Sprinkle with the flour and stir for 1 minute to cook out the raw taste. Slowly pour in the reserved marinade liquid plus enough water to barely cover the meat, scraping the bottom of the pot.
6. 6 Return the beef to the pot. Bring to a bare simmer, cover, and cook gently on the stovetop or in a 150°C / 300°F oven until a probe reads 58°C / 136°F for medium-rare or 62°C / 144°F for medium, about 2 to 2½ hours. Do not boil.
7. 7 Transfer the beef to a plate and cover with foil. Strain the cooking liquid into a saucepan, pressing the vegetables through the sieve to make a smooth purée (this is the traditional way: the sauce is thickened with the puréed vegetables, not just flour).
8. 8 Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer. Whisk in the cream, season with salt, sugar and lemon juice, and simmer 5 more minutes. Adjust sweetness and acidity to taste; the sauce should be mildly sweet and tangy.
9. 9 Slice the beef across the grain into 1.5 cm / ⅝ inch slices. Re-warm gently in a little of the sauce if needed — do not boil, or the meat will toughen.
10. 10 Serve: ladle sauce over the sliced beef, place a slice of lemon and a spoonful of cranberry compote on the plate, and serve with a hot bread dumpling on the side.