Czech Beef and Mushroom Stew (Hovězí na houbách)

Ingredients

• 1 pcs Onion (peeled and diced)
• 40 g Unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
• 0.6 kg Beef chuck (or stew meat) (cut into large bite‑size pieces)
• 0.4 kg Mushrooms (button or cremini) (sliced 4‑5 mm thick)
• 2.5 tbsp All‑purpose flour (for thickening)
• 1.2 L Beef stock (store‑bought or homemade)
• 1 tsp Caraway seeds (optional, traditional flavor)
• 0.5 tsp Dried thyme (or 1 tsp fresh thyme)
• 0.25 tsp Ground black pepper (freshly ground)
• 0.5 tsp Salt (adjust to taste)
• 100 ml Cooking cream (12 % fat) (can use heavy cream)
• 2 cloves Garlic (minced)

Instructions

1. Gather and prep ingredients

   Peel and dice the onion, cut the beef into large chunks, slice the mushrooms, mince the garlic and measure all spices and liquids.

   Time: PT15M

2. Sauté onion

   Add the butter to the pot and melt over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent (about 3 minutes).

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium

3. Sear the beef

   Increase the heat to medium‑high. Add the beef pieces, season with salt and pepper on all sides, and sear until a brown crust forms, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium‑high

4. Cook mushrooms

   Add the sliced mushrooms to the pot and sauté until they release their moisture and start to brown, about 5 minutes.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: medium

5. Add flour

   Sprinkle the flour over the meat‑mushroom mixture, stir well to coat, and cook for another 4 minutes to eliminate the raw flour taste.

   Time: PT4M

   Temperature: medium

6. Add stock and seasonings

   Pour in the beef stock, then add caraway seeds, thyme, black pepper, and salt. Stir to combine and bring to a gentle boil.

   Time: PT5M

   Temperature: high

7. Simmer the stew

   Reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and let the stew simmer until the beef is fork‑tender, approximately 1 hour 30 minutes.

   Time: PT1H30M

   Temperature: low simmer (≈90 °C)

8. Finish with cream

   Stir in the cooking cream, replace the lid, and continue to cook gently for 20 minutes.

   Time: PT20M

   Temperature: low

9. Add garlic and final heat

   Add the minced garlic, stir, and heat for another 2‑3 minutes so the flavors meld.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: low

10. Season and serve

    Taste the stew, adjust salt or pepper if needed, then ladle into bowls and serve hot with crusty bread or dumplings.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

525

Protein

41 g

Carbohydrates

9.5 g

Fat

34 g

Fiber

2 g