Tafelspitz

Name: Tafelspitz
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Austrian
Ingredients: 1.2kg beef top sirloin cap (tafelspitz cut); 2 marrow bones; 2 carrots; 2 parsnips; 1 celeriac, quartered; 1 leek; 1 onion, halved and charred; 6 peppercorns; 2 bay leaves; Salt; Fresh chives; Horseradish root

Tafelspitz (TAH-fel-shpits)

Boiled Beef with Root Vegetables

⏱ Prep Time 30 min

📈 Difficulty Medium

👥 Servings

🔥 Calories 510 kcal

Austria's national beef dish — prime cuts of beef simmered gently with root vegetables and marrow bones, served sliced with apple-horseradish cream and chive sauce.

Nutrition & Info

Protein 42.0g

Carbs 18.0g

Fat 30.0g

Protein Carbs Fat

Dietary

gluten-free nut-free

Equipment Needed

large stockpot sharp carving knife ladle

Presentation Guide

Vessel: large oval platter

Garnishes: chives, horseradish cream

Accompaniments: roasted potatoes, apple-horseradish sauce, chive sauce

Ingredients

1.2kg beef top sirloin cap (tafelspitz cut)
2 marrow bones
2 carrots
2 parsnips
1 celeriac, quartered
1 leek
1 onion, halved and charred
6 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
Salt
Fresh chives
Horseradish root

Instructions

1
Place marrow bones in a large pot of cold salted water. Bring to a boil, skim thoroughly.
2
Add the beef in one piece, return to a gentle simmer. Skim again.
3
After 1 hour, add carrots, parsnips, celeriac, leek, charred onion, peppercorns, and bay leaves.
4
Simmer gently for another 1.5-2 hours until beef is fork-tender but not falling apart.
5
Remove beef, slice against the grain. Arrange on a warm platter with the vegetables.
6
Serve with apple-horseradish cream, chive sauce, and roasted potatoes. Ladle a little broth over the meat.

💡

Did You Know?

Emperor Franz Joseph I ate Tafelspitz nearly every day — it was his absolute favorite dish, served at the imperial table with meticulous ceremony.

Chef's Notes

Equipment Tips

large stockpot
sharp carving knife
ladle

Garnishing

chives, horseradish cream

Accompaniments

roasted potatoes, apple-horseradish sauce, chive sauce

The Story Behind Tafelspitz

Tafelspitz rose to fame under the Habsburg monarchy when Emperor Franz Joseph I made it his daily meal at the Hofburg Palace. The dish became synonymous with Viennese bourgeois dining culture. Plachutta restaurant in Vienna has served it continuously since 1892, elevating boiled beef to an art form.

🕐 Traditionally enjoyed sunday lunch 📜 Origins: 19th century Habsburg era

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