This is not exactly your standard Memorial Day meal but it’s what I had left in the fridge until the next grocery supply run. Even so, Kalops is remarkably delicious, with melt in your mouth vegetables and meat so tender, it falls apart at the slightest nudge.
I used to be a frequent patron of this Swedish restaurant several years ago, and this was when I discovered Kalops. I ordered it for delivery often enough to be considered a regular and when I moved, I decided to learn how to make it.
The allspice gives it its signature flavor, setting it apart from other beef stews and was the main reason the spice made its way to my spice rack. You can find allspice here and you can use either whole or ground, although whole tastes better to me.
It’s supposedly served with beets but I omitted that part. No matter how you choose to enjoy it though, the important thing is, you will enjoy it!
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Swedish Beef Stew (Kalops)
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 2 lb. stew beef, cubed
- 3 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
- 2 yellow onions, cut into wedges
- 3 large carrots, peeled and sliced
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 4 cups water
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice
- 3 bay leaves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter in a dutch oven or stock pot
- Over medium high heat, brown meat well for 5 minutes
- Sprinkle with flour and stir to combine
- Add onions and cook for another 5 minutes
- Add water and carrots and mix well, making sure to thoroughly submerge meat and vegetables
- Season with ground allspice, bay leaves, salt and pepper
- Simmer over low heat for 4 hours
- Stir occasionally to keep bottom from sticking
- Add potatoes and simmer for another 1/2 hour or until potatoes are tender
- Dish and serve hot
Comments & Reviews
Wholesome!
This recipe is all wrong.
I’ve been eating this dish almost all my life and here is how we usually do it.
We boil the potatoes separately and we serve this with delicious picked red beets. 🙂
http://www.felix.se/produkter/aptitrodbetor-skivade-370-g/
You know, I didn’t really know much about beets when I published this recipe but I think I’m slowly warming up to it now thanks to Borscht. Haven’t tried them pickled yet though!
This looks fantastic and I am definitely trying it with fall around the corner! What are your thoughts on transferring the stew to a slow cooker and cooking on low for 5-6 hours instead of stove top simmering?
I always get excited when people comment on my old, neglected recipes 🙂 I absolutely think you can make this in the slow cooker. I think at this point in time, I hadn’t bought my slow cooker yet or was still a slow cooker newbie, not that I’m a pro now (it still sometime’s drives me nuts!) So anyway, that probably why I didn’t even mention one here. You can cook as long as 6-8 hours on low, just be careful when you introduce the potatoes cause I think it might crumble into nothingness if done in the beginning (which is still tasty and thickens the stew while adding texture). But if you want them to retain some form, introduce them later!
Hi Farah, excellent suggestions! I have beef dishes!! I am by no means an expert with the slow cooker but love the convenience (especially on weekends). For stews, I have found that adding the potatoes 2-3 hours (depending on how fast or slow the slow cooker is or the size of the potato pieces) before the end of cook time works well.
Allspice is used frequently in Swedish beef dishes. It is what gives a unique and special flavor to it. Many are surprised that allspice, which is normally used in baking, can be used with beef. My version of this includes parsnips, no beets. Cooked right, parsnips are sweet and flavorful.