Karjalanpaisti — Slow-Braised Karelian Three-Meat Stew

⏱ 210 min · Serves 6

Finland's most comforting Sunday pot: chunks of beef, pork and lamb layered with onions, allspice and bay, then left to bubble away in a low oven until everything collapses into a rich, glossy broth. No browning, no fuss — just patience and a hunk of rye bread.

Per serving: 548 kcal · 52.0g protein · 11.0g carbs · 32.0g fat

Ingredients

• 600g beef chuck, cut into 4cm cubes
• 500g pork shoulder, cut into 4cm cubes
• 400g boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 4cm cubes
• 3 large onions (about 500g), thickly sliced
• 2 carrots, cut into thick rounds
• 2 tsp whole allspice berries, lightly crushed
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tsp flaky sea salt
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• 600ml water or light beef stock, hot
• 1 tbsp butter (optional, to finish)
• Small handful flat-leaf parsley or dill, chopped
• Boiled potatoes or mashed swede and rye bread, to serve

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/300F. Pat all the meat dry.
2. Layer the meat, onions and carrots in a large heavy casserole, scattering the allspice, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt between the layers as you go.
3. Pour in the hot water or stock — it should come about two-thirds of the way up the meat, not cover it. Cover with a tight lid.
4. Slide into the oven and cook, undisturbed, for 2 hours 30 minutes.
5. Uncover, give it a gentle stir, and taste the broth for salt. Return to the oven, lid off, for a further 30–45 minutes so the top of the meat colours lightly and the broth reduces and deepens.
6. The meat should be falling apart at the nudge of a spoon. If it isn't, lid back on and give it another 30 minutes.
7. Stir in the butter for gloss, fish out the bay leaves, and let the pot rest 10 minutes off the heat.
8. Scatter with parsley or dill and serve in deep bowls with boiled potatoes and buttered rye bread to mop up the broth.