Sztufada

Name: Sztufada
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 2 h 55 min
Total time: 3 h 10 min
Cuisine: Polish
Ingredients: 1.4 kg Beef round, whole; 2 Onion, roughly chopped; 300 g Carrot, roughly chopped; 150 g Parsley root, roughly chopped; 250 g Celery root, roughly chopped; 3 Bay leaf; 6 Allspice berry; 50 g Tomato paste; 40 g Pork lard; 2 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Black pepper, ground; 700 ml Water

Sztufada · ready in 3 h 10 min · 6 servings · 514 kcal per serving · medium · 12 ingredients

An old-Polish tied beef roast, slowly braised until spoon-tender, with sweet root vegetables and a deep tomato-touched pan sauce.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 2 h 55 min
Total: 3 h 10 min
Serves: 6
kcal: 514
Difficulty: medium

Polish Main dishes Gluten-free Dairy-free High-protein (25 g+)Low-carb (20 g or less)

A QiMeal recipe · Updated 3 October 2026

Ingredients · 6 servings

1.4 kgBeef round, whole
2Onion, roughly chopped
300 gCarrot, roughly chopped
150 gParsley root, roughly chopped
250 gCelery root, roughly chopped
3Bay leaf
6Allspice berry
50 gTomato paste
40 gPork lard
2 tspSalt
1 tspBlack pepper, ground
700 mlWater

Equipment

stovetop, kitchen scale, measuring spoon, chef's knife, cutting board, kitchen twine, heavy pot, tongs, ladle, fine sieve, wooden spoon, lid

Instructions

Mise En Place
Gather and measure all ingredients; roughly chop onion, carrot, parsley root, and celery root, and set out twine, knife, board, heavy pot, tongs, ladle, and sieve. · 10 min
What to look for: Ingredients are measured, and vegetables are in large rough chunks.
Tie Beef Roast
Tie the beef round firmly with kitchen twine into a compact cylinder, keeping the grain aligned for neat slices later. · 5 min
What to look for: The roast holds a tight, even cylinder shape.
Brown In Lard
Heat pork lard in the heavy pot, then brown the tied beef on all sides, turning with tongs until a deep brown crust forms. · 12 min
When it is done: Brown the exterior only; final tenderness comes during the covered braise.
Add Braising Base
Add onion, carrot, parsley root, celery root, bay leaf, allspice, salt, pepper, and water to come halfway up the beef. · 5 min
What to look for: Vegetables surround the roast, and the liquid reaches about halfway up the meat.
Braise Until Tender
Braise tightly covered on the lowest heat for 140 minutes, turning 1 time, until the beef is fork-tender and 90°C / 194°F inside. · 2 h 20 min
When it is done: A fork slides in with little resistance, and the center reads 90°C / 194°F.
Reduce Tomato Sauce
Remove the beef to rest for 10 minutes; strain the liquid, whisk in tomato paste, and reduce until glossy while keeping the vegetables warm. · 15 min
What to look for: The sauce coats a spoon lightly and has a clear reddish-brown sheen.
Slice And Serve
Slice the beef across the grain, arrange with the root vegetables, and spoon the reduced sauce over each serving while hot. · 3 min
What to look for: Slices are even, tender, and coated with glossy sauce beside the vegetables.

Nutrition (per serving)

kcal	514
Protein	53 g
Carbohydrates	18 g
of which sugars	6 g
Fat	26 g
of which saturated	10 g
Fibre	4 g
Sodium	1009 mg

Nutri-ScoreB

Allergens

Contains: celery

Ingredient substitutions

Carrot

Parsley root: This keeps the sauce rooted in Polish vegetables but makes it less sweet.

Parsley root

Carrot: Carrot is sweeter and less herbal, but it suits the traditional braise.

Celery root

Parsley root: The sauce will be less earthy but still recognizably Polish.

Pork lard

Sunflower oil: Use only if lard is unavailable; the browning works, but the flavor is less old-fashioned.