Hachee is a traditional beef and onion stew found in virtually every Dutch home. It’s a delicious comfort dish to enjoy during the cold winter months. The long, slow cooking time produce super tender meat and a rich sauce with wonderful depth of flavor. Here is an authentic recipe that you’re whole family will enjoy.
Eet smakelijk!
The word hachee has its origins in the French hacher, meaning “to chop” and Hachee is sometimes referred to as a “hash.” Hachee has been around since the middle ages and like many of the traditional dishes of Europe that we know and love today, it was originally a peasant dish, created as a means of using up leftover meat and vegetables. The vinegar was used to tenderize tough pieces of meat (much like French peasants used wine). Less expensive vegetables likes onions were used in generous amounts. A long cooking process further ensured the meat would be tender. Hachee remains a popular and much-loved dish in the Netherlands. So much so that you can find it ready-made in grocery stores. But nothing beats homemade, and your patience in the long, slow cooking process will yield results that you’re entire family will love.
The flavor profile of Hachee is significantly different from the traditional beef stews we know here in the U.S.. Hachee uses equal parts of beef and onion and the onions are caramelized. The featured flavors in this stew are cloves, juniper berries, black peppercorns, bay leaves and vinegar – all of which come together to provide a wonderful depth of flavor that is both rich and comforting. The flavor of Hachee shares similarities with German Sauerbraten.
I made this last week when my husband’s family came to WA for a visit. My father-in-law lived in the Netherlands for two years as a young man and fell in love with the country, its people, and its food. Many of the dishes he enjoyed then he hasn’t had since – almost 40 years later – a fact he often laments. (Sorry for alluding to your age, John.) So I wanted to surprise him with a traditional Dutch meal. I narrowed it down to three options: Boerenkool Stampot, Hutspot, and Hachee. I decided on Hachee. It’s a little more interesting, plus you can’t find the smoked Dutch sausages (rookworst) here that are traditionally eaten with the other two dishes. And it also gave me the excuse to finally make the braised red cabbage with it – a side dish that is equally popular in Germany (Rotkohl) and that several of my readers have asked me about. My father-in-law readily recognized the dish. “This is the dish I had almost every night during my first two months in the Netherlands!” And he hadn’t had it since until now. We all really enjoyed this Hachee. And the leftovers the next day, after the flavors had even more time to meld, were even better.
Let’s get started!
Cube the beef and pat it dry with a paper towel – this will ensure that it browns well. Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
Chop the onions.
Brown the beef in a Dutch oven. Brown the cubes on all sides. Brown in batches so as not to overcrowd the beef – that will prevent it from browning properly. Remove the beef and set aside, leaving the burnt bits on the bottom of the pan – those will provide a lot of flavor to the stew.
Add some more butter and caramelize the onions until golden brown. Add the flour and stir to combine.
Add the beef to the onions.
Add the beef broth and the seasonings. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Uncover and simmer for another 30 minutes to help thicken the sauce. If it needs further thickening, make a slurry with equal parts of flour and water and stir it into the stew, stirring constantly to prevent lumping. Return to a simmer until the stew is thickened. Add salt, pepper and more red wine vinegar to taste.
Hachee is traditionally served with aardappelen (potatoes) and rode kool met appeltjes (braised red cabbage with apples – click for recipe). A serving of applesauce is also common. Eet smakelijk!
- 2 pounds beef, cubed in ½ in. pieces, blotted dry with paper towel, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 2 pounds yellow onions (about 4 large), finely chopped
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups good quality beef stock
- 3 large bay leaves
- 4 cloves
- 4 juniper berries (look in health food stores or order online)
- 10 black peppercorns
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- Melt the butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef on all sides, working in batches so as not to overcrowd. Transfer to a plate and set aside. Leave the browned bits in the pan (important for flavor).
- Add the onions and some more butter if needed and cook until caramelized, about 25 minutes. Add the flour and stir until combined. Add the beef to the onions, stir to combine, and cover with the beef stock just until covered. Add the seasonings and red wine vinegar, stir to combine.
- Increase the heat and bring the stew to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2½ hours. Uncover and simmer for another 30 minutes to further thicken the stew. Add salt, pepper and more red wine vinegar to taste. Discard the juniper berries, cloves, and bay leaves. Leave in or discard the peppercorns.
- Serve with mashed potatoes and braised red cabbage.
Maggie Linstead says
There is no flour in Hachee. It is never thicken in any way. Limburg’s zuurvlees is thickens but then you use ontbijtkoek
MINNIE MEYER says
About the whole cloves, juniper berries and peppercorns, are they removed at the end? Do they go soft and disappear? I’ve heard of recipes where they are tied in cheesecloth or something, then removed at the end? Thank you!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Minnie, they’re removed at the end. Cheesecloth does make it easier!
Lucile says
Good day thank you for sharing your reciepe very simple preparation.I will try this to cook for my dutch lovely boss.Please share some simple ingredients and reciepe.Have a good day and stay safe.MANY THANKS AND GODBLESS.
orlando contrucci says
Great authentic recipe. I live in central Oregon where the junipers on the High dessert thrive;
some are hundreds of years old. I have used the berries crushed on grilled salmon. Gives it a great flavor. Was born and raised in Amsterdam and still love Dutch dishes. Am making your recipe tomorrow with a nice slab of beef chuck and the berries of course. Have you ever heard of the dish Raukost? If I remember it well it involved warm boiled potatoes with either raw Brussels endive or any other raw leafy vegetables or combination thereof and ‘slasaus’ i.e. ranch dressing. The warm potatoes are mixed with the veggies and dressing and Hoopla! easy, simple dinner. We loved it.
Cheers!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, Orlando. I am not familiar with Raukost but thank you for the introduction, it sounds like a delicious, easy dinner indeed!
Lena Bailey says
Hallo allemaal, I was born and raised in Utrecht. My mother cooked Hatcher once a week during the winter months. I have cooked this dish for my family at least once or twice a year myself and they always enjoyed it. As a matter of fact I’m going to today. Even though I live in Florida and with the warm weather I enjoy this traditional food every once in a while. Brings me back!!!
KCO says
Tried this for our crazy 2020 Thanksgiving meal, celebrating my kids’ heritage. Delicious! Only thing I would change is a little less butter. So good!
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Thank you, KCO, I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Roy kuipers says
I make this all the time, but in place of beef broth I use beer, and I also add nutmeg. Then I serve over borenkool
Laurie Mach says
Tasted just like moms! Thanks for sharing, I will keep this recipe for ever and would love to have any more you have.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Wonderful, thanks so much, Laurie!
Paul says
If I was to add vinegar…if that’s part of the “old” way how much would I add?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Paul, it’s just according to taste. I would start with less, like a tablespoon, and then you can taste it to determine if you want to add more.
Jeffrey van den Beukel says
We use to add “ontbijtkoek” (Peijnenburg is recommandible, it some kind of gingerbread) with mustard. It is placed on top of the stew to get a rich flavour, and to thicken it in.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Jeffrey, that’s exactly what they do in certain regions of Germany when making Sauerbraten. It’s a delicious touch.
Anonymous says
I use leftover roast and the gravy. I carmelized the onions, cube the beef, added the onions with the leftover gravy, whitevenegar and a little sugar. Simmer for a hour add water as needed
(Wiesje) jean hartman says
That is exactly how I make mine. An easy recipe, definely comfort food
Robin McGrath says
Back in 1972, I adopted a seven year old girl who had been living with a Dutch foster family, before she taken and put into FOUR failed adoptive placements. By the time I got her, she was a wreck–unable to speak or eat or sleep. I was at my wits end, but a Dutch friend suggested I try some traditional Dutch food, and gave me a few recipes. One was for spinach with lemon and butter nd hard chopped eggs, and another was for “vinegar stew,” pretty well the same as this recipe. She began eating and bit by bit she came alive again. She died unexpectedly last year, but I think about her a lo, and I am so grateful for the loving Dutch foster parents she had as I’m sure they were the ones who gave her the strength to recover from trauma she endured. Today, I was remembering that stew, and since I hadn’t made it in many years, I looked for a recipe and found yours. I’m going to go and make it and I will probably cry when I put it on the table, but that’s as it should be. We have to grieve for those we have lost, and what better way to do it than to eat good food with those who are still here with us. Thank you.
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Robin, thank you for sharing that tender and heartfelt story. I hope you and your family find peace and solace as you share this meal and the many memories together <3
Diana says
Thank you so much. I can’t wait to try the recipe. I’m throwing a party to introduce my family to Dutch cuisine. My lovely daughter in law to be was born in Amsterdam and I wanted to celebrate her heritage with the rest of the family. This looked like an excellent dish to serve! I will let you know how it turns out. Thank you again! Diana
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
That sounds so fun, Diana, what a great idea! Have a wonderful party and I look forward to hearing what everyone thought of the stew!
Diana says
Can this recipe be made in a crockpot?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Diana, yes it can. Follow the steps as written and then in step 3 transfer everything to the crock pot and cook on LOW for 5-7 hours or on HIGH for 3-4 hours or until the beef is fork tender.