Recipes

Labskovs Danish Beef Stew

Serves 4

| Prep Time: 5 mins

| Cook Time: 1 hour 25 mins

| Total Time: 1 hour 30 min

You may need: Swedish Savory Sweet

Discover The Recipe

Imagine yourself in the heart of Copenhagen, the city's cold, salty air nipping at your face. You're seeking refuge in a small, cozy kitchen where a pot of Labskovs, a traditional Danish beef stew, simmers away. This isn’t just any stew—it’s a dish infused with a history that dates back to the days of Scandinavian sailors, who needed nourishing, simple meals during long voyages. This dish evolved into a comforting household staple across the region, reflecting a maritime heritage and reliance on accessible, robust ingredients. Hearty and unpretentious, Labskovs is a lens into the Danish philosophy of finding joy in simple, everyday things in life.

Our Labskovs stew starts with the humble chuck steak, browned to perfection in a generous dollop of butter. We develop layers of flavor with the addition of Swedish Savory Sweet. This spice blend captures the essence of Nordic cuisine with hints of exotic nutmeg, cardamom, and peppery notes. The meat and spices are sautéed to release its essence, enveloping the meat in a cloud of warm, inviting aromas. The excess water is drained once the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender and the potatoes are perfectly cooked. A final touch of butter is mixed in, and the stew is mashed to a rustic consistency, creating a creamy and chunky dish. Topped with a sprinkling of diced green and red onions, Labskovs is a pleasure to eat any time of year. This is Danish comfort food at its finest—simple, robust, and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

3 Tbsp butter, divided
2 lbs chuck steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Tbsp Piquant Post Swedish Savory Sweet
3-4 cups water
1 tsp salt
½ tsp black pepper
4 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Green onions, diced
Red onions, diced

Notes

We love to slow cook chuck steak, which comes from the shoulder of the cow. This cut is very flavorful, but is very tough with a lot of connective tissue. The slow cooking helps the connective tissue and collagen break down into gelatin, yielding a juicy, tender bite.

If 3-4 cups of water is not enough to cover the meat, add a bit more to completely cover the beef.

Optional ingredients add a little character and flavor but don’t sweat it if you don’t have them.

Instructions

Over Med-High heat, heat 1 Tbsp of butter in a large pot. Add the steak and brown lightly, about 3-4 mins per side. Add Piquant Post Swedish Savory Sweet and saute for 1 minute, until fragrant. Add just enough water to cover the meat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 mins.

Meanwhile, peel the potatoes and cut into cubes (about ½ inch). After 30 mins of simmering the beef, add potatoes. Add additional water if needed. Simmer until the meat is tender and potatoes are soft, about 30 additional mins.

Drain excess water. Mix in remaining butter and use a whisk to mash potatoes and meat.

Garnish with chopped green onions and red onions.

Alternatives & Substitutions

Try using the Swedish Savory Sweet blend to make our delicious spiced Swedish Meatballs or Danish Breaded Pork patties (Karbonader), or our Beet and Apple Salad recipes.
Or how about our Swedish Meatloaf and Gravy? For fish lovers, try our Scandi Style Salmon Sliders with Green Apple Slaw!
Vegetarians/Vegans: try the Swedish Savory Sweet spice blend in our Vegan Swedish "Meatballs" recipe for a plant-healthy version.
Need a holiday dessert idea? Try using 1-2 tsp of Swedish Savory Sweet in place of other spices on baked pears for a lovely spiced treat.
Swedish Savory Sweet spice blend also works great in soups and stews like this easy minestrone soup or vegetable beef soup. Use 1 tbsp in place of other spices called for in the recipe (except for herbs) and taste before adding more.
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