German one pot beef and vegetable stew

This hearty German one pot beef and vegetable stew, based on the German dish Pichelsteiner, is my favourite meal to make with beef osso bucco (sliced bone-in beef shin).

The meat is first seared, and then slow cooked with the vegetables to tender perfection. The onions melt into the broth as the meat falls off the bone to form a sturdy broth that is full of deep flavour from simple, natural ingredients.

A meal to savour and enjoy again and again. Serve on its own, preferably with a slice of good rye bread on the side.

German One Pot Beef and Vegetable Stew

Makes around 16 serves. Leftovers reheat well.

Ingredients

Tallow or lard, for searing

Beef osso bucco from 1/4 of a cow (around 1.5kg to 2kg/3 to 5 pounds), or 1kg (2 pounds) boneless stewing beef

1kg (2 pounds) rump steak, round steak, or stewing beef

4 or 5 medium onions, chopped

a few grinds of black pepper

a mixture of carrots and turnips (or potatoes, or cabbage), as much as will fit in your pot

bone broth to cover (or water if you don’t have bone broth)

salt, to taste

optional cider vinegar, to taste

a large cabbage, chopped

optional handful or three of fresh parsley, chopped

Method

Heat a small amount of tallow in an eight litre (2 gallon) pot. When the fat is hot, sear both sides of the meat in batches. 

Remove the meat from the pot and add a little more tallow, if needed, along with the onions. Sauté the onions until they are tender and fragrant, maybe starting to develop a little colour. Add the meat back into the pot, and top the pot up with as many chopped turnips and carrots as will fit, before covering the meat and vegetables with broth or water.

Bring to the boil with the lid on, reduce heat, and simmer on the stovetop, in a slow cooker, or in the oven for at least two hours, until the meat is very tender and easily falls of the bones. Taste the broth and add some salt, and maybe a splash of cider vinegar.

Remove the meat from the pot and cut or break it into bite-sized pieces. Remove the marrow from the bones and add this back into the stew. Return the meat to the broth. Top with chopped cabbage, and return to a simmer, cooking for 10 or 20 minutes, until the cabbage is tender.

Stir through the optional parsley, adjust seasonings with salt and cider vinegar, and serve on its own, or with bread.