Learn how to make hachee, an old-fashioned Dutch beef stew that dates back to the Middle Ages. This recipe with beef, onions, vinegar, and apple butter is traditionally served with red cabbage and potatoes! However, I love it with just some mashed potatoes.
This is typically a fall or winter dish, but I was craving it, so we made it; even though it’s summer!
I loved this beef stew when I was growing up… but I wasn’t a fan of the red cabbage that we typically served with it. It’s a good thing that this beef stew is so flavorful because I would mix red cabbage and hachee on my spoon, and all I’d taste is this deliciously meaty, oniony, and tangy stew!
Hachee also goes great with my Hutspot Recipe.
Hachee: Old-fashioned Dutch Beef Stew with Onions
Learn how to make hachee, an old-fashioned Dutch beef stew that dates back to the Middle Ages. This recipe with beef, onions, vinegar, and apple butter is traditionally served with red cabbage and potatoes! However, I love it with just some mashed potatoes. This is typically a fall or winter dish, but I was craving it, so we made it; even though it's summer!
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prepare the Ingredients
- Cut the meat in 2.5cm x 2.5cm (1" x 1") chunks.
- Peel the onion, cut it in half, and slice each half in ½cm slices (3/16").
- Make a sachet from cheesecloth, with the bay leaves and cloves in it.You can skip this step if you do not have any cheesecloth and just add the ingredients to the stew. However, while it's easy to remove the bay leaves, you'll have to warn your guests that there are cloves in the stew.
- Mix the flour, a pinch of salt, and some freshly grated pepper.Toss the chunks of beef in the flour, make sure all pieces are evenly coated.
Making the stew
- Preheat your oven to 150ºC (300ºF), and over a low flame, warm up your beef broth.
- Heat one tablespoon of oil over high heat in your Dutch oven. Once the oil is shimmering, and near its smoke point, add half the beef, and brown it on all sides.
- Remove the browned pieces of beef from the pot, and put them on a plate. Add another tablespoon of oil, and bring it to temperature. Add the rest of the beef, and brown it on all sides.When done, remove it from the pan, and add it on the plate with the other browned beef.
- Lower the heat to medium, and add butter. Start scraping up some of the browned pieces at the bottom of the pot. Once the butter is melted, add all the onions.Stir the onions occasionally, until they are glassy.
- Add the meat, the sachet, the vinegar, and the warm broth. Stir, and bring to a gentle boil.
- Once the pot reaches a boil, cover it with a lid, and put it in the oven for 2 hours.
- After 2 hours, remove the pot from the oven, and add the apple butter.If the stew seems dry, add more broth.
- Leave the pan uncovered, and put it in the oven for another 1 hour. Check it from time to time to make sure the stew doesn't get too dry, or if the liquid is evaporating too quickly. Simply put the lid back on it. You can also add a bit more broth if necessary.
Serving
- If you put the bay leaves and cloves in a sachet, simply remove the sachet. If you put them in the stew without a sachet, fish them out.This tastes great with mashed potatoes, or even hutspot.
