Kalops
Kalops is a classic Swedish beef stew, considered one of the most popular everyday dishes in Swedish home cooking, with roots reaching back at least to the 19th century. The name likely comes from the German term "Klops", originally referring to a form of ground meat, though the Swedish recipe developed independently into a stew of slow-cooked meat chunks. What distinguishes kalops from other European stews is the distinctive combination of bay leaves and allspice berries, giving a slightly sweet-spicy aroma, as well as the generous amount of onion that practically melts into the sauce as it simmers slowly. It is considered a Sunday or holiday dish in many Swedish households, often cooked in large quantities to have delicious leftovers the next day.
Braised beef
Chunks of beef slow-cooked until tender
Plenty of onion
Generous onion cooked sweet in the sauce
Bay leaves
Flavoured with bay leaves and allspice berries
Mash on the side
Classically served with mashed potatoes
Ingredients 4 servings
- 1 kg beef brisket, large cubes
- 3 large onions, sliced
- 3 tbsp flour
- 3 tbsp butter
- 700 ml beef stock
- 3 bay leaves
- 8 allspice berries
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- Salt and black pepper
How to make it
- 1Cut the beef brisket into large, even cubes and pat dry well with paper towels.
- 2Melt the butter in a heavy pot and brown the meat in batches, without crowding the pot, until it has a brown crust on all sides.
- 3Remove the meat and in the same pot fry the sliced onions until soft and translucent.
- 4Sprinkle the flour over the onion and stir well for a minute, to remove the raw flour taste.
- 5Gradually pour in the beef stock, stirring constantly to avoid lumps, then return the meat to the pot.
- 6Add the bay leaves, allspice berries, vinegar, salt and pepper, cover and simmer over low heat for 2 and a half hours, until the meat is extremely tender.
- 7Check occasionally and add a little water if the sauce becomes too thick, then serve hot with mashed potatoes.
Nutritional info
per serving (~400 ml)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
