Beer beef works so well in the Thermomix® because the machine takes care of the 70-minute braise while we build the roasted flavours in the pan first. Without a hard sear the meat tastes flat, and without slow braising it stays tough.
We have been cooking this classic Bavarian pub dish for years. The recipe comes from the family and has been tested over hundreds of servings.
Bavarian Beer Beef with the Thermomix®
Ingredients 0 / 14 ✓
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 800 g beef goulash (diced beef) cut into 2-3 cm cubes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 3 onions
- 1/2 celeriac
- 2 carrots
- 1 leek white part only
- 500 g dark beer
- 150 g beef stock
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp pepper freshly ground
- 400 g waxy potatoes
Instructions 0 / 6
-
1
Sear the beef, chop the garlic and onions.
Heat the oil in a frying pan and sear the beef in batches on all sides over high heat. Meanwhile, peel the garlic cloves, peel and halve the onions, place in the mixing bowl and chop for 4 seconds / speed 5, then set aside.
-
2
Chop the celeriac.
Peel the celeriac, cut into pieces and place in the mixing bowl, chop for 3 seconds / speed 6, then add to the onions.
-
3
Chop the carrots and leek.
Peel the carrots, wash and trim the leek, cut into pieces, place in the mixing bowl and chop for 4 seconds / speed 5, then set aside.
-
4
Fry the onions and celeriac.
Transfer the seared beef to the mixing bowl. Place the onions and celeriac in the frying pan (with the cooking fat) and fry for 3 minutes. Deglaze with the beer and pour everything into the mixing bowl.
-
5
Cook the beef, onions and celeriac.
Add the stock, salt, cumin, thyme and pepper and cook for 70 minutes / 100°C / reverse direction / speed 1.
-
6
Cook all ingredients together.
Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut into cubes, then add to the mixing bowl with the carrots and leek and finish cooking for 30 minutes / 90°C / reverse direction / speed 1.
Tip: Dark rye bread and a cold beer go brilliantly with this dish.
Nutrition per serving
Why the beef is seared hard first
The diced beef must be seared on all sides in a very hot pan before braising. This creates roasted flavours on the surface that give the dish real depth. If the beef goes straight into the Thermomix® without searing, that flavour is completely missing.
One key point when searing: the beef cubes must not overlap in the pan, otherwise they steam each other. Work in two batches instead. The heat must be high, at least medium-high on your hob. If the beef releases water rather than browning, the pan is not hot enough.
Dark beer as the braising base
The dark beer is used to deglaze the pan and carries all the seared flavours into the mixing bowl. It also provides the liquid for the 70-minute braise. A pale lager works too, but the result is less robust. We prefer a dark lager or Dunkel.
The beef stock adds further depth of flavour. Without stock the dish tastes thin. If you have no stock to hand, a homemade beef broth works as an alternative.
Why the cooking time runs in two phases
The beer beef is cooked in two stages. First, the beef, onions, celeriac, beer and stock braise for 70 minutes at 100°C on reverse direction speed 1. This is where the meat becomes tender. Then the potatoes, carrots and leek are added and everything cooks for a further 30 minutes at 90°C.
The reason for splitting the cooking: if the potatoes went in from the start, they would collapse into a mash after 100 minutes. Waxy potatoes need exactly 30 minutes to stay firm and cook through at the same time.
Chopping the vegetables: order by firmness
The vegetables are chopped in the Thermomix® in three separate batches because each has a different firmness. Garlic and onions need 4 seconds at speed 5, celeriac needs 3 seconds at speed 6, and carrots and leek again need 4 seconds at speed 5. If everything were chopped together, the onions and leek would be mush before the celeriac is small enough.
After chopping, the celeriac is fried with the onions in the pan. This gives it additional roasted flavour. Carrots and leek go straight into the mixing bowl and are not fried.
Spices: cumin is essential
The cumin gives the beer beef a slightly earthy note that pairs well with the dark beer. Without cumin the dish tastes one-dimensional. Dried thyme reinforces the herbal quality. Fresh thyme can be used instead, but double the quantity.
Salt goes in from the start because it draws into the meat and vegetables during the long cooking time. Freshly ground pepper is noticeably more aromatic than pre-ground.
Reverse direction prevents the meat from shredding
Both cooking phases run on reverse direction speed 1. Reverse direction stirs gently without putting mechanical stress on the meat. On normal forward rotation the goulash would shred too much after 100 minutes of cooking. Speed 1 keeps the liquid moving so nothing catches on the bottom.
Serving with dark rye bread
The beer beef is served hot. Traditionally it goes well with dark rye bread or a hearty farmhouse loaf to mop up the sauce. A cold beer rounds the meal off nicely. Bread dumplings or Spaetzle also work well on the side.
Freezing or storing leftovers
Goes well with: Bread dumplings, mashed potatoes and red cabbage.
Leftovers keep in the fridge for 3 days in a sealed container. The beer beef can also be frozen. Leave it to cool completely after cooking, fill into freezer containers and freeze for up to 3 months. To defrost, place in the fridge overnight and reheat at 90°C in the Thermomix® or in a saucepan on the hob.
More Thermomix® braised dishes from us include potato soup, lentil and coconut soup, and our full collection of soup recipes.
