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Svíčková
The night before, poke the beef all over with a thin knife and push in the bacon sticks, or wrap it in the rashers. Put it in a bowl with the carrot, parsnip, celery, onion, bay, allspice, peppercorns, thyme, lemon zest and vinegar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Questions about this dish
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.
How long does Svíčková take?
15 hr 15 min all in — 45 min prep, 2 hr 30 min cook, 12 hr rest. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 plates. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
A bit of work.
How spicy is it?
No chilli.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Milk, Wheat, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Nut-free.
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What does it cost to cook?
Treat yourself — about $28+ USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Dutch oven, Oven, Blender, Stockpot, Mixing bowl, Chef's knife.
How much salt do I put in?
The recipe lists Salt at 2 tsp.
How much vinegar?
2 tbsp of Vinegar.
How much sugar?
1 tbsp of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
Homemade bread dumplings → Thick slices of a plain white baguette, steamed 5 minutes. An emergency measure that Czech students know well.
What should I watch for?
A whole allspice berry in the blender tastes like a clove factory. Fish them out.
Any tips from this recipe?
The sauce should be smooth as velvet and the colour of milky coffee. Pass it through a sieve after blending if your blender is not up to it. Day two svíčková is better, and leftover dumpling slices fry well in butter with egg. Hrubá mouka, the coarse Czech flour, gives a lighter dumpling. Semolina mixed half and half with plain flour gets close.
Can I prepare this ahead?
Day two svíčková is better, and leftover dumpling slices fry well in butter with egg. The night before, poke the beef all over with a thin knife and push in the bacon sticks, or wrap it in the rashers. Put it in a bowl with the carrot, parsnip, celery, onion, bay, allspice, peppercorns, thyme, lemon zest and vinegar. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.