Crock-Pot® Kalops

"Kalops?" you ask. "What the heck are 'kalops'?" Don't let the odd name dissuade you. Kalops is a simple Swedish dish consisting of stew beef braised* in gravy with onions and, if desired, a handful of root vegetables. I call it "the poor man's beef bourguignon." 

Simply put, kalops is to Sweden what beef stew is to America. The ultimate comfort food.

KALOPS
Swedish Beef & Gravy

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs. stew beef or chuck roast cut into cubes
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine (or water) for deglazing *
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 2 cups water or beef broth (reserve 1/4 cup)
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 tsp Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• Optional - for authenticity - 1/8 to1/4 tsp allspice, depending on taste
• 2 Tbsp cornstarch

DIRECTIONS

Note: Step 1 is optional. Meat can be placed directly into slow cooker. However, browning the beef definitely intensifies the flavor.)

1. Preheat the slow-cooker to high setting; low setting if you plan to simmer longer than 8 hours. In large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add the beef cubes and cook until browned on all sides. (If you like, you can also saute the onions until translucent, but this is optional.) Introduce meat to slow cooker. In same skillet, add the wine or water, if using, and return to heat. Bring to a bubble, stirring and scraping brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook and stir 1 minute more then add the juices to meat in slow cooker.
2. To the slow-cooker, add beef broth or water, if using, reserving 1/4 cup. Add remaining ingredients except for cornstarch and reserved broth. Stir to combine. Cover and cook on high 6-8 hours, low 7-10 hours.
3. One to two hours before serving, whisk the cornstarch into the reserved broth (or water) until blended. Add to stew mixture and stir to combine. Cover and continue to cook until gravy is thick and bubbly. Before serving, remove bay leaves and garlic clove.

Serve over mashed potatoes, rice, egg noodles or hot biscuits.

                                                                                                                           Serves 4-6                       

Smaklig måltid! 

French Translation: Bon appetit!)

Don't own a slow-cooker?  
That's fine. You can prepare Kalops just as easily in a Dutch oven. Follow instructions above, except simmer, covered, until meat is tender and cooked through about 1 1/2 hours. Add cornstarch and reserved beef broth mixture as directed, cook and stir 10 minutes or until gravy has thickened.





NEW CULINARY TERMS

- Braising (from the French `braiser`) is cooking with `moist heat`, typically in a covered pot with a variable amount of liquid, resulting in a particular flavor. Braising relies on heat, time, and moisture to successfully break down tough connective tissue and collagens in meat. It is an ideal way to cook tougher cuts, such as chuck roast. Many classic braised dishes such as Coq au Vin are highly-evolved methods of cooking tough and unpalatable foods.

- Deglazing-  is a cooking technique for removing and dissolving caramelized bits of food from a pan in order to make a flavorful pan sauce.


FYI LINKS

More on Swedish Cuisine
Crockpot FAQ's
More Swedish Recipes
11 Tips for Slow Cooker Meals