Stephen Jackson: Fancy a twirl at this mighty Viennese Tafelspitz?

Jan 22 2010 by Stephen Jackson

A YEAR or so ago, I was lucky enough to visit Vienna, one of the most breathtakingly beautiful cities I’ve ever seen.

It’s one of Europe’s grand old cities, like Paris, London or Rome, with breathtaking architecture and a palpable sense of history. And, more interestingly for the gourmet, it is a city filled with food. And what food it is, too. Let’s just say that Austrian cuisine doesn’t skimp on the calories.

The grand cafés, like Sacher, Landtmann and Demel all do a roaring trade in cups of strong coffee, rich hot chocolate and a bewildering range of cakes, pancakes, strudels and pastries.

There are traditional sandwich shops, like the amazing Trzesniewski, which has been serving plates of delicious open sandwiches and beer for over 100 years. And then there are the restaurants, serving up traditional Austrian fare such as the ubiquitous schnitzels, noodles and game dishes. Perhaps the crowning glory of Austrian cuisine is the mighty Tafelspitz, an entire tableful of dishes based around a tender cut of beef, gently poached, and served with an array of specific accompaniments. The best I had was at a place called Plachutta, who serve about 15 cuts of beef in the same way, all brought to the table in shiny copper pans, with numerous bowls of garnishes and sauces.

It is one of those delightful moments where food and theatre combine to make for a memorable experience. I’ve cooked Tafelspitz a few times, and think I’ve got my version sorted now so, if you’re ready, let’s have a go, shall we? You must begin five days before you wish to eat. Aprons on!

The Brine:

500g Maldon salt

500g golden unrefined caster sugar

12 juniper berries, lightly crushed

12 cloves, lightly crushed

2 star anise, lightly crushed

4 fresh bay leaves, bruised

4 litres water

The Beef:

2kg piece of British-reared beef brisket (unrolled), from a good local butcher

3 large mild onions, chopped

2 fat carrots, chopped

2 leeks, chopped

12 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 sprigs thyme

A handful fresh curly parsley

10 black peppercorns

1 litre beef stock (chicken or vegetable stock will do)

250ml red wine