Svíčková (Czech Beef in Vegetable Cream Sauce)
Svíčková na smetaně is a Czech classic featuring tender beef in an irresistible vegetable cream sauce.
When we lived in Prague, family and friends visiting always called for an outing to a Czech restaurant where we would strongly recommend they order the Svíčková (pronounced sveech-ko-vah). The delicious braised beef in a creamy root vegetable sauce was served with Knedliky, garnished with cranberry sauce and never disappointed!
Key ingredients
Since moving to the States, I’ve had to adjust my Svíčková recipe with ingredients from my local market. I’m happy to report that the resulting dish immediately transported us back to Czechia!
- Beef: I used beef chuck roast, which is well-marbled and great for slow braises like Svíčková. Beef short ribs or brisket would also work well in this recipe.
- Bacon: Half of the bacon is stuffed into the beef to tenderize the meat and add flavor. The other half is cooked until crispy and then sauteed with the root vegetables.
- Root vegetables: Of the three root vegetables that Czech recipes generally call for — carrots, parsley root and celeriac — we only had access to carrots. I settled on turnips and parsnips as substitutes and found the resulting sauce to be incredibly similar to the one I had been dreaming of!
- Seasoning: I used fresh thyme, bay leaves and allspice berries to season my Svíčková.
- Chicken broth: While you could use vegetable or beef broth, I find that chicken broth makes for the best sauce.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream is added at the very end when blending the sauce.
A note on translation: Svíčková is literally translated to English as beef tenderloin. While the term Svíčková originally referred to the cut of meat, it has now become almost synonymous with the creamy root vegetable sauce used in this famous dish. In Czechia, I’ve actually most often had Svíčková made with beef sirloin.
Step by step photos
Step 1: Lard the beef with bacon.
Step 2: Sear the beef.
Step 3: Chop the root vegetables into even pieces.
Step 4: Saute the root vegetables until caramelized.
Step 5: Add the beef, broth and spices. Cook until the beef is tender.
Step 6: Puree the vegetables and broth with heavy cream. Serve with sliced beef.
Storage
Leftover Svíčková can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
To reheat, gently warm the beef and sauce in a saucepan over medium heat until heated through.
Expert tips and tricks
- Don’t rush the vegetables. Ensure they are fully caramelized before proceeding to the next step. This is crucial for developing a deep, rich flavor in the sauce.
- Cook the beef until tender. Depending on the cut of beef you choose, you may need 2-3 hours of braising time in the oven.
- Adjust the consistency of the sauce. If your sauce is too thick, add additional broth. Also make sure to add additional lemon juice as desired to balance the richness of the sauce.
FAQs
For slow braising recipes, such as Svíčková, I recommend beef chuck roast. Beef short ribs or beef brisket would also work well.
Tying the beef will help it maintain its shape, but it’s not necessary for this recipe.
Cut the bacon into strips. Each strip should be about 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick and 3-inches (8 cm) long. Place the bacon in the freezer until solid. Cut pockets into the beef with a sharp knife and insert the bacon strips.
Traditionally, Svíčková is served with Knedliky or Czech dumplings. I served ours with the mosaic-style Carlsbad Knedliky that you see in the photos, but bread dumplings (houskové knedlíky) are also a classic pairing. For garnishes, the classics are a slice of lemon, cranberry sauce or preserves and whipped cream. These are all optional, but all help with lightening the heavy dish a bit.
Svíčková Recipe
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 6
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Dutch Oven
- Cuisine: Czech
Ingredients
- 3 pounds (1.4 kg) beef chuck roast*
- kosher salt to taste
- 2 pieces (150 grams) very thick cut bacon*
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) unsalted butter
- 2 medium (250 grams) carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) pieces
- 2 medium (250 grams) parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) pieces
- 1 large (180 grams) turnip, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch (1.5 cm) pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, chopped into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 sprigs thyme
- 4 allspice berries
- 2 cups (480 ml) chicken broth
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) heavy cream
- 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
Instructions
- Cut one slice of bacon* into strips, approximately 1/4-inch (6 mm) thick and 3-inches (8 cm) long. Place them in the freezer until solid, about 30 minutes.
- Use a thin knife to make horizontal incisions into both sides of the meat. When you slice the meat against the grain, you should see small pockets of bacon (not an entire strip in one slice). Stuff the bacon strips into the pockets.
- Optional: Tie the beef with kitchen twine to help it keep its shape.
- Generously season the beef with salt. Heat vegetable oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Sear the beef on each side (approximately 3 minutes per side). Transfer to a plate and set aside.
- Reduce heat to medium. Dice the remaining strip of bacon, add to the pot and cook until just crispy.
- Add the butter along with the carrots, parsnips, turnip and onion. Cook for 20 minutes or until lightly caramelized. While the veggies are cooking, preheat oven to 320°F (160°C).
- Return the meat to the pot along with the bay leaves, thyme, allspice and broth. To make it easier to remove the spices later, you can put them in a cheesecloth bag.
- Cover the pot and place in the oven for 2 hours or until the meat is tender.
- Transfer the meat to a cutting board. Allow to rest for 10-15 minutes before slicing.
- Remove the allspice, thyme and bay leaves from the sauce and discard. Carefully transfer the remaining contents of the pot to a blender along with the heavy cream and lemon juice. Pulse until smooth and add salt to taste.
- Slice the meat and serve warm with vegetable sauce.
Notes
Cuts of beef: I most often use beef chuck roast, but beef short ribs or brisket would also work well. Look for a well-marbled piece of beef.
Bacon: My bacon slices were 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. If you can’t find bacon this thick, use 4 slices instead. For the larding step, stack two slices of bacon together and freeze them until solid (approximately 30 minutes). Then, proceed with cutting the frozen bacon into small strips to insert into the meat.
Storage: Leftover Svíčková can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
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