Home / Austrian Kitchen / Tafelspitz

Tafelspitz

Prime beef simmered gently with root vegetables until meltingly tender, served in its clear golden broth with apple-horseradish and chive sauce — the Emperor’s everyday dinner.

⏱ 20 minPrep time
🔥 3 hrCook time
🍽 6Servings
🏷 Austrian KitchenCategory
☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet

Prime beef simmered gently with root vegetables until meltingly tender, served in its clear golden broth with apple-horseradish and chive sauce — the Emperor’s everyday dinner.

The Emperor’s boiled beef

Tafelspitz was Emperor Franz Joseph I’s favorite dish, so much so that it appears on his daily menu records. The cut is the tri-tip of the rump, simmered so slowly it stays rosy and tender, while the broth becomes the second course.

Step by stepInstructions

  1. Place the beef and marrow bones in a large pot and cover with cold water. Bring slowly to a boil, skimming off the foam constantly.
  2. Add the vegetables, charred onion, salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce to a bare simmer and cook 2 1/2 to 3 hours, skimming occasionally, until the meat is fork-tender.
  3. Lift out the meat and vegetables and keep warm; strain the broth through a fine sieve.
  4. Mix the ingredients for the apple-horseradish in one bowl and the chive sauce in another.
  5. Slice the beef against the grain and serve in warm broth with the vegetables, boiled potatoes, and both sauces.

💡 Chef tips & storage

Never let the pot boil hard — a gentle shimmer keeps the beef rosy and the broth crystal clear. Serve the broth first as a soup course, then the beef, the traditional way.

Rate this recipe

☆☆☆☆☆No ratings yet
Sign in to rate this recipe.

Recipe details

Prep20 min
Cook3 hr
Servings6
CategoryAustrian Kitchen
PublishedAugust 17, 2026
Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes

Hi, I'm Emily 🧡

Hi, I'm Emily — the cook behind My Comfort Recipes. Simple, tested comfort food for real weeknights, written down the way grandma would. Pull up a chair. More about me →