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Pfefferpotthast
Westfälischer Pfefferpotthast: Westphalian peppery beef and onion stew thickened with breadcrumbs
Pfefferpotthast is one of the oldest dishes of Westphalia, written about in Dortmund as far back as the 14th century and still cooked in the Münsterland and the Ruhr for big family meals. Beef is stewed with almost as much onion as meat, plenty of black pepper, cloves and bay, then thickened with breadcrumbs and sharpened with lemon and capers. Pickled gherkins and boiled potatoes go alongside. Chef's tip: grind the pepper coarsely and add half at the start and half at the end, so you get both deep warmth and a fresh bite.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
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Fresh ingredients (3)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the 2 tbsp lard or oil in a heavy casserole over a high heat. Brown the 2 ⅝ lb beef shin or chuck in 3 batches for 4–5 minutes each until well browned on all sides. Overcrowding the pot is the common mistake; the meat steams and goes grey.
15 minStep 2: Lower the heat to medium, add the 2 ¼ lb onions and fry for 10 minutes, scraping up the brown bits, until soft and lightly golden.
10 minStep 3: Return the beef, pour in the 3 ¼ cups hot water or beef stock and add the 3 bay leaves, 4 cloves, half the 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper and the 2 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer, cover and cook gently for 1 hour 30 minutes, until a fork slides easily into the meat.
90 minStep 4: Stir in the 1 ¾ oz dry breadcrumbs and simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes until the sauce thickens and turns velvety.
5 minStep 5: Add the 1 lemon juice and zest, 2 tbsp capers and the rest of the 1 tsp coarsely ground black pepper. Taste: it should be peppery, slightly sharp and well seasoned. Serve with boiled potatoes and 6 pickled gherkins.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- Protein
- 45 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does pfefferpotthast take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 110 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of bay leaves?
- Leave it out, or a pinch of dried thyme (it's a background flavour).
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