Beuschel

Ingredients

Offal

• 600 gcalf lung
• 300 gcalf heart
• water, for soaking

Court bouillon

• 1carrot
• 1onion, halved
• 1parsnip
• 1bay leaf
• 6peppercorns
• 2juniper berries
• 1 tbspwhite wine vinegar
• 1½ tsp salt
• 1.5 litreswater

Sauce

• 40 gbutter
• 40 gplain flour
• 1onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsptomato purée
• 100 mlwhite wine
• 1 tbspDijon mustard
• 1 tbspcapers, chopped
• grated zest of ½ lemon
• 1 tspdried marjoram
• 150 mlsour cream
• 1 tbsplemon juice
• salt and pepper

To serve

• Semmelknödel (bread dumplings)

Directions

1. Soak the lung and heart in cold water overnight in the fridge, changing the water twice, to draw out blood. Trim the heart of hard sinew and any large tubes from the lung.
2. Simmer the offal in the court bouillon for 1 hr 30 min. Lung floats, so weigh it down with a plate to keep it submerged, or the exposed part cooks unevenly and greys.
3. Lift out, cool completely under a light weight — pressing firms the lung so it can be cut into fine even strips rather than tearing.
4. Strain and keep 600 ml of the cooking liquid.
5. Cut the cooled offal into julienne strips about 3 mm wide. Fine cutting is the mark of a properly made Beuschel; chunks are a different and much coarser dish.
6. Make a roux: cook the butter, chopped onion and flour together over medium heat for 5 minutes to a light hazelnut colour, then stir in the tomato purée and cook 1 minute.
7. Whisk in the wine and then the reserved cooking liquid a ladle at a time until smooth, and simmer 10 minutes.
8. Stir in the mustard, capers, lemon zest and marjoram, then the offal strips, and simmer gently 15 minutes.
9. Take off the heat, stir in the sour cream and lemon juice, and season. Do not boil it after the cream goes in.
10. Serve with bread dumplings to soak up the sauce. The sauce should be sharp, sour and mustardy — Viennese Beuschel is meant to cut through the richness, not smooth it over.

Technique

• Weigh the lung down while it simmers, and press it while it cools. Both matter.
• The sourness is the point. Under-acidified Beuschel tastes flat and heavy.
• Lung is not sold everywhere; in some countries it cannot legally be sold for food. Ask a butcher in advance.

Substitutions

• Heart alone, if lung is unavailable, prepared identically.
• Veal kidney can be added, though it changes the flavour considerably.

Variations

• Saures Lüngerl, the Bavarian version, usually served with a bread dumpling too.
• A version finished with a splash of brandy.

History

A Viennese offal dish from a cuisine that used every part of the calf, still listed in the city’s traditional Beisl taverns.

Frequently asked questions

What is Beuschel?

Beuschel is a main from Austria: ragout of calf lung and heart in a sour cream sauce with dumplings. A Viennese offal dish from a cuisine that used every part of the calf, still listed in the city’s traditional Beisl taverns.

How long does Beuschel take to make?

Beuschel takes 30 min plus overnight soaking of preparation and 2 hr 30 min of cooking. The recipe makes 4 servings. It is rated hard to make.

What can I substitute in Beuschel?

Yes, within limits. Heart alone, if lung is unavailable, prepared identically. Veal kidney can be added, though it changes the flavour considerably.

What is the most important thing to get right in Beuschel?

Lift out, cool completely under a light weight — pressing firms the lung so it can be cut into fine even strips rather than tearing.