Limburg Sour Stew

Limburg sour beef (zoervleisj) is a classic stew in which beef is slowly cooked in a mixture of vinegar, onions and spices. Apple syrup and gingerbread make the sauce smooth and lightly sweet, with its characteristic sweet-and-sour flavour. Serve with thick-cut chips or creamy mashed potatoes.

Serves: 4
Preparation: approx. 25 minutes
Cooking: 2½–3 hours
Total time: approx. 3 hours (excluding marinating)

Ingredients

For 4 people

• 600 g beef rib steak or featherblade steak
• 4 medium onions
• 4 tbsp apple syrup
• 2 slices gingerbread (crust removed)
• approx. 30 g unsalted butter (2–3 tbsp) for frying
• 150 ml spirit vinegar
• 200 ml water (plus extra if needed)
• 4 bay leaves
• 4–6 juniper berries, lightly crushed
• 4 cloves
• 1 tbsp dark soft brown sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

• Cut the beef into cubes of about 3 × 3 cm. Pat them dry with kitchen paper and season generously with salt and pepper.
• Peel the onions. Slice 3½ onions into thin half rings. Leave half an onion whole.
• Push the cloves into the half onion and tuck the bay leaves in between.
• Lightly crush the juniper berries with the side of a knife so the flavour is released more easily.
• In a large bowl or dish, mix the spirit vinegar with the water. Add the onion rings, the crushed juniper berries and the onion with bay leaves and cloves. Add the meat and make sure everything is largely submerged; add a little extra water if needed. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

Method

1. Remove the meat and onions from the marinade
   Using a slotted spoon, lift the meat and onions out of the marinade. Keep the marinade; it will be used shortly. Pat the meat lightly dry.
2. Brown the meat
   Heat the unsalted butter in a large casserole over a medium-high heat. Fry the meat, in batches if necessary, until browned all over. Remove the meat from the pan and set aside briefly.
3. Caramelise the onions
   If needed, add a little more butter to the pan. Add the drained onion rings, sprinkle over the dark soft brown sugar, and cook the onions over a low to medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes until soft and golden brown. Stir regularly and scrape the browned bits from the bottom.
4. Start stewing
   Return the browned meat to the pan with the onions. Add the reserved marinade, including the onion with bay leaves and cloves and the juniper berries. The meat should be largely submerged; add a little more water if needed. Bring to the boil, reduce the heat and put the lid (almost) on the pan. Gently stew the meat for 2½–3 hours, until very tender. Stir occasionally and check there is enough liquid in the pan; add a little hot water if needed.
5. Add the gingerbread and apple syrup
   After about 2 hours of stewing, crumble the gingerbread over the pan and add the apple syrup. Stir everything well. Let it bubble gently for about 30 minutes without the lid, so the sauce can thicken and reduce slightly.
6. Finish and taste
   Remove the half onion with bay leaves and cloves and pick out as many juniper berries as possible from the sauce. Taste the sour beef and, if needed, adjust with extra salt, pepper, a spoonful of apple syrup (for more sweetness) or a small splash of vinegar (for a little more acidity).
7. Serve the sour beef
   Serve the Limburg sour beef hot, preferably with crispy Flemish fries or creamy mashed potatoes. A simple green salad or some apple sauce goes well with it.