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Meat, European

Hutspot with braised beef

Hutspot with braised beef is a Dutch dish for 4 people, ready in 2.5 hours with just 10 minutes of hands-on work, rated easy, at €3.80 per person. It's a chunky mash of potatoes, carrots, and onions served with beef chuck braised until it falls apart with a fork. The key to success is a very slow simmer for the meat and generously spooning the juices over the mash.

It's raining, so I'm making you hutspot, that hearty Dutch mash of carrots and onions that stands up to melt in your mouth beef.

Hutspot with braised beef
Total time
2 h 30
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.80
Calories per person
560 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall
The kids
They generally like it

Hutspot starts with a color, that soft orange of carrots melted together with potatoes and onions, mashed without chasing smoothness. The texture stays rustic, with a few chunks still holding their shape, and the taste turns sweet from onions and carrots that cooked low and slow. The beef chuck, meanwhile, has simmered for hours until it falls apart on its own under a fork, in a broth scented with bay leaf and clove.

This is a dish for a rainy Sunday or a winter evening when you have time on your hands, even though the hands-on work takes only ten minutes. Kids like this mash that looks like regular mashed potatoes but has more character, and the fork tender beef needs no cutting. Mon Chou suggests it on days when you want something that simmers on its own while you handle everything else.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Beef chuck 900 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Potatoes 800 g
  • Carrots 700 g
  • Onions 4

Dairy

  • Butter 50 g
  • Milk 10 cl

Pantry

  • Bay leavesoften in the pantry 2
  • Clovesoften in the pantry 2
  • Beef bouillon cubeoften in the pantry 1
  • Sunflower oiloften in the pantry 2 tbsp
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the chuck into large cubes, season with salt and pepper, and brown on all sides in a Dutch oven with the oil. 10 min

    Sear in two batches, an overcrowded pot steams the meat instead of browning it.

  2. Slice two onions and add them to the meat with the bay leaves, cloves, and bouillon dissolved in a large glass of water.

    Stick a clove into a piece of onion, you'll find it easily before serving.

  3. Cover and let simmer over very low heat until the meat falls apart with a fork. 1 h 50

    The liquid should just barely simmer, if you see big bubbles, turn the heat down further.

  4. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes, carrots, and the last two onions into chunks and cook them together in salted water. 25 min

    Add the carrots first, they take longer to cook than the potatoes.

  5. Drain the vegetables and mash them with the butter and hot milk for a rustic orange and white mash.

    Leave some chunks in, hutspot isn't a smooth puree, it's a chunky mash.

  6. Serve the mash with the braised beef and spoon the juices over it.

    Dig a small well in the mash to pour the juices into, that's the Dutch touch.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pick a heavy bottomed Dutch oven that holds heat well, it keeps the bottom from catching during the two hours of simmering.
  • Taste the juices before serving and adjust the salt only then, the bouillon cube and long cooking time already concentrate a lot of flavor.
  • If you have time, make the dish the day before, the braised beef tastes even better gently reheated the next day.

The variations

  • Swap the chuck for beef cheek, it becomes just as tender with a similar cooking time.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the beef step and double the carrots and potatoes, replacing the beef bouillon with vegetable bouillon.
  • For hungry kids in a hurry, cook the beef the day before and only handle the mash on the day, cutting hands-on time to twenty minutes.

What to serve it with

  • A glass of dark beer
  • A crisp endive salad
  • Country bread for mopping up juices

Storage

Hutspot and the beef keep for 3 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container, ideally stored separately. The braised beef freezes very well for up to 2 months, the mash a bit less so since its texture changes slightly once thawed. Reheat gently on the stove or in the oven, adding a splash of milk to the mash if it has thickened too much.

Questions about this dish

Can you make hutspot ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended. Make the braised beef the day before, it only gets better, and prepare the vegetable mash the day you serve it so it keeps its texture.

Can you use a different cut of beef?

Yes, beef cheek or shin work just as well for a long braise. Choose a cut with some fat and collagen, that's what makes it fall apart tender.

Do you need to remove the cloves before serving?

Yes, they're not meant to be eaten. The trick is to stick them into a piece of onion so you can spot them easily before serving.

Does hutspot freeze well?

The braised beef freezes very well for up to 2 months. The vegetable mash doesn't hold up as well, its texture gets a bit more watery after thawing.

How long does it take to make a hutspot with braised beef?

Count 2 h 30 in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a hutspot with braised beef?

About 560 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a hutspot with braised beef cost?

About €3.80 per serving, or €15.20 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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