Gestoofde Sukadelapjes (Dutch Braised Beef Chuck Steaks)

Gestoofde sukadelapjes are a traditional Dutch braise made with beef chuck steaks cooked slowly until the meat becomes tender enough to yield to a spoon. The cut is valued for its deep beefy flavour and connective tissue, which softens during long, gentle cooking and helps create a rounded gravy. In this version, the steaks are browned first, then simmered with onion, beef stock, bay leaf and cloves, with Dijon mustard adding subtle sharpness and depth. It is the kind of straightforward, comforting dinner that suits boiled potatoes, mash or buttered vegetables, with the onion-rich gravy spooned generously over the beef.
Recipe by JustRecipes Editorial Team
Content validated: August 2026 How we create recipes
Made this recipe? Rate it
Cuisine style Dutch home cooking
Flavor profile Rich • Savoury • Gently spiced
Techniques Browning • Gentle braising • Reducing gravy
Key equipment Dutch oven
Cooking style One-pot cooking • Make-ahead friendly • Freezer-friendly
Time commitment Slow-cooked

Why this recipe works

  • Deep savoury base: Browning the beef and softening the onions in the same pot builds flavour before the stock is added.
  • Slow, gentle braise: Chuck steak becomes tender when simmered slowly in liquid, giving the gravy body as the meat cooks.
  • Rich onion gravy: The reduced cooking liquid turns into a simple, full-flavoured gravy that suits potatoes, mash or buttered vegetables.

Get the most out of this recipe

Timing notes

  • Mostly hands-off cooking: The active work is mainly browning, softening the onions and finishing the gravy; the tenderness comes from the long, gentle simmer.
  • Serve once fully tender: The beef is ready when it yields easily to a fork. If it still feels firm, continue simmering gently rather than increasing the heat.

Common mistakes

  • Boiling too hard: Keep the liquid at a quiet simmer. A vigorous boil can make the beef tighten before it has time to become tender.
  • Crowding while browning: Brown the steaks in batches if needed so they sear properly instead of steaming.
  • Stopping before the gravy reduces: After removing the beef, simmer the liquid uncovered until it lightly coats a spoon.

Ingredient notes

  • Use chuck for tenderness: Beef chuck suits slow braising because its connective tissue softens during cooking and gives the sauce richness.
  • Whole spices are easy to remove: Bay leaves and whole cloves gently perfume the gravy and can be discarded before serving.
  • Dust lightly with flour: A thin coating helps the beef brown and gives the gravy a little body without making it heavy.

Make-ahead tips

  • Good for making ahead: The braised beef keeps well and the flavour often settles after a night in the fridge.
  • Reheat gently: Warm the beef in a covered pot over a low heat with a little stock if the gravy has thickened.
  • Freezer-friendly: Cool completely, freeze in a sealed container, then defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating until piping hot.

Equipment you'll need

Dutch oven Large pot Whisk Wooden spoon
Ingredients
Instructions
Print
  1. Pat the beef dry, then cut into 4 steaks. Season all over with the salt and pepper, then dust lightly with the flour, shaking off any excess.
  2. Heat the sunflower oil and butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until the butter foams. Brown the beef well on both sides, 3 to 4 minutes per side, working in batches so the pan is not crowded.
  3. Lower the heat to medium and add the onions, sliced, to the pot. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring, until softened and lightly golden.
  4. Stir in the Dijon mustard, then pour in the beef stock, scraping up any browned bits from the base. Add the bay leaves and cloves and bring to a gentle simmer.
  5. Return the beef to the pot, nestling it into the liquid. Cover and simmer very gently for 2 hours, turning the steaks once or twice, until the beef is very tender.
  6. Lift out the beef and keep warm; discard the bay leaves and cloves. Simmer the cooking liquid uncovered for 5 to 10 minutes until it lightly coats the back of a spoon, then taste and adjust with a pinch more salt and pepper if needed. Serve the beef with the onion gravy spooned over.

Made this recipe? Rate it — a comment is optional.

Recipe notes

Tips

  • Keep the simmer very gentle; if it boils hard, the beef can tighten and take longer to become tender.
  • If the gravy looks a little thin at the end, simmer it uncovered for a few extra minutes; if it gets too thick, loosen with a splash of beef stock.
  • Food safety: if serving vulnerable people, ensure the beef is cooked until piping hot throughout.

Substitutions

  • Replace Dijon mustard with whole-grain mustard for a milder heat and a slightly coarser texture.
  • Replace sunflower oil with olive oil for browning the beef.

Storage

  • Refrigerate up to 3 days
  • Cool completely, then refrigerate in a sealed container. Reheat gently in a covered pot over a low heat with a splash of beef stock until piping hot; freeze for up to 3 months and defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Ratings & reviews

Liked this recipe? Share your feedback to support our cooking community.

Tried this recipe?

Choose 1–5 stars. A comment is optional.

If you leave a comment, use 10–500 characters.

Stay inspired

Discover new recipes, seasonal favourites and cooking inspiration every day. Follow JustRecipes on Pinterest and Spillt.

Pinterest

Recipe overview

  • Servings: 4 servings
  • Total time: 2h 45min (25min active)
  • Difficulty: Medium
  • Cuisine: Dutch
  • Allergens:
    Gluten Milk Mustard Wheat
One pot Freezer friendly
Signal WhatsApp

Plan your meals and get a complete grocery list automatically.

Add to meal planner

Equipment you'll need

Dutch oven Large pot Whisk Wooden spoon

Got ingredients left?

Find recipes using ingredients from this recipe or what you already have at home.

Find recipes with these ingredients →

More variations

View all

More from this course

View all

Cook with these ingredients

Beef stock

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

Black pepper

1 cup ≈ 110.4 g
Convert ingredient→

Dijon mustard

1 cup ≈ 240 g
Convert ingredient→

Fine sea salt

1 cup ≈ 268.8 g
Convert ingredient→

Plain flour

1 cup ≈ 120 g
Convert ingredient→

Sunflower oil

1 cup ≈ 240 ml
Convert ingredient→

More with similar ingredients

View all

You might also like

Browse alphabetically

Looking for a specific recipe? Choose a letter below to jump directly to recipes starting with that letter or number.

Explore the Recipe Index

Enjoy cooking with JustRecipes?

Add JustRecipes as one of your preferred Google sources to discover our recipes more easily across Google Search.

Add JustRecipes to Google

Every recipe on JustRecipes follows the same structured editorial process. Learn how recipes are created, validated, translated, illustrated, and continuously improved across the platform. How we create recipes.