Name: Zwiebelrostbraten (braised sirloin with fried onions)
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 80 min
Total time: 130 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Austrian-Swabian
Ingredients: 4 sirloin steaks (Rostbraten), about 140 g each (or striploin (Beiried)); salt; pepper, freshly ground; 1 tbsp plain flour (for coating the meat); 2 tbsp clarified butter (Butterschmalz) (for searing and for the onions); 1 tbsp mustard; 3 medium onions (in thin rings); 1 tbsp tomato purée; 200 ml dry red wine; 1 splash vinegar; 2 bay leaves; 250 ml strong beef broth; 2 tbsp plain flour (Austrian type glatt) (for the fried onions); 1 tbsp sweet paprika (for the fried onions); 500 ml vegetable oil (for deep-frying the onions); parsley and gherkins (to serve)

Preparation

Tenderise the steaks with the flat side of a meat mallet, score the edges several times and season generously with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 160 °C (conventional).
Turn the pieces in flour and sear in clarified butter for 3 to 4 minutes on each side over a high heat. Remove, spread mustard on one side and lay in a flameproof dish.
Cut the onions into thin rings. Braise a quarter of them in the frying pan with a little fresh clarified butter for a good 10 minutes, stirring, until golden brown.
Toast the tomato purée briefly with them, deglaze with the red wine and a splash of vinegar, add the bay leaves and reduce for a few minutes. Top up with the beef broth, simmer briefly again and pour over the meat; it should not be completely covered.
Cover the dish and braise in the oven for about 90 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. For the last 10 minutes, turn the oven down to 100 °C.
Meanwhile, toss the remaining onion rings with flour and paprika and deep-fry in batches in plenty of oil at 160 °C until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and season lightly with salt.
Serve the meat with the sauce, topped with the fried onions, gherkins and parsley.

Drink with it

Red wine · excellent match
Zweigelt or Blaufränkisch (Lemberger in Swabia)
Body and soft tannins stand up to the well-seared beef, the dark fruit picks up the red wine sauce, and the acidity cuts through the sweet fried onions.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Dark beer · excellent match
Munich Dunkel or dark lager
Malty roasted and caramel notes combine with the sauce and fried onions, and the carbonation refreshes between the rich bites.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue
Sherry-cask whisky · good match
Sherry-cask single malt, neat or with a little water
Dried fruit and spice from the sherry cask mirror the red wine and onion sauce and carry the roasted flavours.
What Does the Cask Do to Whisky?

Why it pairs well

Whisky with Zwiebelrostbraten is unusual; the sherry-cask style picks up the red wine sauce and the fried onions, and a small sip with the meal is enough.

Preparation

Tenderise the steaks with the flat side of a meat mallet, score the edges several times and season generously with salt and pepper. Preheat the oven to 160 °C (conventional).
Turn the pieces in flour and sear in clarified butter for 3 to 4 minutes on each side over a high heat. Remove, spread mustard on one side and lay in a flameproof dish.
Cut the onions into thin rings. Braise a quarter of them in the frying pan with a little fresh clarified butter for a good 10 minutes, stirring, until golden brown.
Toast the tomato purée briefly with them, deglaze with the red wine and a splash of vinegar, add the bay leaves and reduce for a few minutes. Top up with the beef broth, simmer briefly again and pour over the meat; it should not be completely covered.
Cover the dish and braise in the oven for about 90 minutes, depending on the thickness of the meat. For the last 10 minutes, turn the oven down to 100 °C.
Meanwhile, toss the remaining onion rings with flour and paprika and deep-fry in batches in plenty of oil at 160 °C until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper and season lightly with salt.
Serve the meat with the sauce, topped with the fried onions, gherkins and parsley.

Drink with it

Red wine · excellent match
Zweigelt or Blaufränkisch (Lemberger in Swabia)
Body and soft tannins stand up to the well-seared beef, the dark fruit picks up the red wine sauce, and the acidity cuts through the sweet fried onions.
Which wine pairs with food? A simple approach to choosing
Dark beer · excellent match
Munich Dunkel or dark lager
Malty roasted and caramel notes combine with the sauce and fried onions, and the carbonation refreshes between the rich bites.
Which beer goes with food? More than just pils with barbecue
Sherry-cask whisky · good match
Sherry-cask single malt, neat or with a little water
Dried fruit and spice from the sherry cask mirror the red wine and onion sauce and carry the roasted flavours.
What Does the Cask Do to Whisky?

Why it pairs well

Whisky with Zwiebelrostbraten is unusual; the sherry-cask style picks up the red wine sauce and the fried onions, and a small sip with the meal is enough.

Zwiebelrostbraten (braised sirloin with fried onions)

Preparation

Drink with it

Zweigelt or Blaufränkisch (Lemberger in Swabia)

Munich Dunkel or dark lager

Sherry-cask single malt, neat or with a little water

This pairs well too.

Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Beef Rouladen

Braised beef in red wine (Rinderschmorbraten)

Cottage Pie

Zwiebelrostbraten (braised sirloin with fried onions)

Preparation

Drink with it

Zweigelt or Blaufränkisch (Lemberger in Swabia)

Munich Dunkel or dark lager

Sherry-cask single malt, neat or with a little water

This pairs well too.

Beef Enchiladas with Red Sauce

Beef Rouladen

Braised beef in red wine (Rinderschmorbraten)

Cottage Pie