Cookbook:Zwiebelrostbraten with Red Wine Onion Gravy

| Austrian Cuisine

Zwiebelrostbraten is a typical Austrian entrée and an all-time favorite dish in Austria. The meat used for Zwiebelrostbraten is traditionally a standing rib roast cut, which is called “Rostbraten” in German. There are numerous variations of the dish and an abundance of recipes available. This recipe uses a red-wine onion gravy and is adapted from a recipe that was published in a cooking magazine. This recipe is a reduced-calorie version of the original but is nevertheless a flavorful one. The meat juices are also used in the cooking process so their intense flavor will not go to waste.

A standard side dish for Zwiebelrostbraten are “Bratkartoffeln” (sautéed potatoes), but the list of possible side dishes ranges from bread dumplings to vegetables or mashed potatoes. A side dish is more a question of personal taste, and therefore it is not included in this recipe.

Although the recipe itself is rather easy, one should set aside at least 45 minutes for the cooking since the gravy takes some time to boil down. Be prepared to do a lot of dishes after you have finished your Zwiebelrostbraten. It is, however, well worth the effort.

Sauce

 * 1 onion, finely chopped
 * 2 garlic cloves, minced
 * Vegetable oil
 * 2 tsp tomato paste
 * 1 tsp brown sugar
 * 1 tsp Hungarian paprika
 * 125 ml red wine
 * 500 ml beef broth

Meat

 * 2 slices of beef (200 g each, standing rib roast cut)
 * 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
 * Salt
 * Pepper
 * Vegetable oil
 * ½ ea. onion, sliced into thin rings

Sauce

 * 1) Sauté the onion and garlic in oil.
 * 2) Add tomato paste, sugar, and Hungarian paprika, and let it sauté just a little before finally deglazing the pan with red wine.
 * 3) Add broth and let it boil down until it has achieved the desired consistency. This will take about 25 minutes. Do not forget to stir the gravy every once in a while.

Meat

 * 1) While the gravy is being reduced, slightly beat the meat with a meat mallet. This helps the meat to stay tender. Then rub it in mustard and add salt and pepper.
 * 2) Sear the meat on both sides and cook it for another 4–5 minutes on medium heat.
 * 3) Add the onion rings to the juices remaining from the meat and let them soak up the delicious flavor. Depending on how much oil and juices there are still left in the frying pan, you might have to add some oil or water in order to let the onions absorb the flavor properly.
 * 4) Finally top the meat with the onion rings, add the gravy, and serve it with the desired side dish. Enjoy!