Dutch Beef and Onion Stew (Hachee)

Ingredients

• 1.2 kg (2½ lb) chuck roast, cut into 4 cm (1½ in) cubes
• 1½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 50 g (3½ tbsp) butter
• 750 g (1⅔ lb) onions, about 5, sliced
• 500 ml (2 cups) beef stock
• 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 3 bay leaves
• 4 whole cloves
• 6 juniper berries, lightly crushed (optional; leave out if you can't find them)
• Boiled potatoes and braised red cabbage, to serve

Steps

1. Season the beef with salt and pepper and toss it with the flour.
2. Melt half the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it foams and turns nutty. Brown the beef in two batches, about 5 minutes each, until deep brown. Set aside.
3. Add the rest of the butter and the onions. Cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden.
4. Pour in the stock and vinegar and deglaze the pot. Add the sugar, bay leaves, cloves and juniper.
5. Return the beef. Bring to a gentle bubble, cover and braise on low heat for 2½ hours, stirring now and then, until the beef falls apart and the onions have melted into a dark, glossy sauce.
6. Fish out the bay leaves and cloves. Taste and balance with a little more vinegar or sugar; it should be gently sweet-sour.
7. Serve with boiled potatoes and red cabbage, mashing the potatoes into the sauce on your plate.

Notes

• Make ahead: hachee is a classic two-day dish; the flavour deepens overnight.
• The onions matter: use plenty; they thicken and sweeten the sauce.
• Other cuts: shank or bottom round work well.
• Slow cooker: brown the beef and onions, then cook on low 8 hr or high 4–5 hr with 350 ml (1½ cups) stock, since the onions release their own liquid.
• Freezer: freezes for up to 3 months; thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat until steaming hot.
• Pair with: boiled potatoes and braised red cabbage or pickled beets.