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Svíčková na smetaně (Beef Sirloin in Cream Sauce)

Czech · Main

A quintessential Czech festive dish featuring tender beef sirloin braised with aromatic root vegetables, blended into a velvety cream sauce, and traditionally served with bread dumplings and cranberry jam.

AdvancedHigh protein
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Svíčková na smetaně (Beef Sirloin in Cream Sauce) — recipe cover
2 hr 30 minA little patience, a lot of flavor
Prep time40 min
Cook time1 hr 50 min
Servings6 people
DifficultyAdvanced
Let's make something good

How to make it

6 steps. Take it one step at a time.

  1. Lard the beef sirloin

    Lard the beef sirloin by making small incisions with a narrow knife and inserting strips of chilled bacon. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper.

  2. In a large pot, melt the butter and sear the meat

    In a large pot, melt the butter and sear the meat on all sides until browned. Remove the meat and set aside.

    10 min
  3. Add the diced carrots, parsley root, and celeriac

    In the same pot, add the diced carrots, parsley root, and celeriac. Sauté until the vegetables start to caramelize and turn golden brown. Add the chopped onion and sauté for another 5 minutes.

    15 min
  4. Sprinkle the sugar

    Sprinkle the sugar over the vegetables and let it caramelize slightly. Stir in the mustard and vinegar, then add the allspice and bay leaves.

    2 min
  5. Return the meat to the pot

    Return the meat to the pot and pour in the beef stock. Cover and braise in an oven preheated to 325°F (163°C) until the meat is completely tender, usually 1.5 to 2 hours.

    1 hr 30 min
  6. Remove the meat and spices

    Remove the meat and spices. Blend the vegetables and liquid into a smooth sauce using an immersion blender. Stir in the heavy cream. If the sauce is too thin, whisk a little flour with cold water and simmer until thickened.

    10 min

A little kitchen wisdom

Larding the beef is essential to keep the sirloin moist during the long braising process. For the best sauce texture, pass the blended sauce through a fine-mesh sieve.

What you'll need

Large heavy-bottomed potImmersion blenderLarding needle or narrow knifeFine-mesh sieve
Keep the good going

For now. And for later.

Make it ahead

Svíčková actually tastes better the next day. Reheat gently on the stove, adding a splash of stock or cream if the sauce has thickened too much.

Store & enjoy

Store meat sliced inside the sauce to keep it moist. Reheat slowly on low heat to prevent the cream sauce from splitting.

Allergens

Contains milk, gluten, mustard, celery.

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An AI-created recipe from the EZdish collection. Ingredient quantities and techniques have not been independently kitchen-tested. Published on this website . Updated . First published in the EZdish collection .

Svíčková na smetaně (Beef Sirloin in Cream Sauce)
Step 1 of 6

Lard the beef sirloin

Lard the beef sirloin by making small incisions with a narrow knife and inserting strips of chilled bacon. Season the meat generously with salt and pepper.