Polish Roast Beef (Wołowina pieczona)
Wołowina pieczona Say it: voh-woo-VEE-nah pyeh-CHOH-nah
Wołowina pieczona is the Polish Sunday roast: a whole piece of beef rubbed with salt, pepper and often mustard or marjoram, roasted until crusty outside and rosy within. It appears at festive family tables and cold as a sliced cold cut, always with a spoonful of sharp horseradish or a dark gravy. The flavour is deep and beefy, the texture tender but firm, and the pan juices are treasured for pouring over potatoes.
Polish Roast Beef (Wołowina pieczona)
Wołowina pieczona
Pronounced voh-woo-VEE-nah pyeh-CHOH-nah
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 50 min
- Level
- Medium
Also nut-free and egg-free.
Allergens: contains gluten, mustard. Check labels on packaged ingredients.
Ingredients
Amounts are scaled. Cooking times and pan sizes stay the same.
Beef
Aromatics
Gravy
To serve
Method
Take the beef out of the fridge 1 hour before roasting. Pat it dry, tie it at intervals with kitchen string if the butcher has not done so, and rub all over with salt and pepper.
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Heat the oil in a heavy roasting pan over medium-high heat and brown the beef on all sides, about 8 minutes total, until deep brown.
Transfer the beef to a plate and brush it all over with the Dijon mustard.
Scatter the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, bay leaves and allspice in the pan, set the beef on top, and pour in the stock.
Roast uncovered for 60–75 minutes, basting once or twice, until a meat thermometer inserted in the centre reads 130–135°F (54–57°C) for medium-rare; the crust should be dark golden.
Lift the beef onto a warm platter, tent loosely with foil and rest for 15 minutes.
Set the roasting pan over medium heat, skim off excess fat, sprinkle in the flour and stir for 1 minute. Pour in the stock, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer for 5 minutes until lightly thickened.
Strain the gravy, season with salt and pepper, and keep warm.
Slice the beef across the grain, arrange on the platter and spoon over a little gravy. Serve the rest of the gravy and the horseradish alongside.
Regional variant: Wołowina pieczona z majerankiem (Roast Beef with Marjoram)
Rub the beef with 1 tbsp dried marjoram along with the salt and pepper, and omit the mustard. Roast and rest exactly as above; the herb gives a fragrant, slightly resinous aroma that is popular in Polish home kitchens. Serve with the same horseradish and gravy.
Cook's notes
- Use a meat thermometer: 130–135°F (54–57°C) gives rosy medium-rare, 140–145°F (60–63°C) medium.
- Resting is essential; slicing too soon lets the juices run out and the meat dry.
- For a deeper crust, brown the beef very well before roasting and do not cover it in the oven.
Serve with
Boiled or roasted potatoes, beetroot salad or cucumbers in brine, and a glass of dry red wine or cold beer.
Make ahead and storage
Cool leftover beef completely, wrap tightly and refrigerate up to 3 days; slice cold for sandwiches or reheat gently in gravy, not in a hot oven.
