Alpine Lingonberry Beef Stew | Tenderly Braised with Juniper

Pat the beef dry and cut into bite-sized cubes of approx. 3–4 cm. Season with 1 tsp fine salt and 1 pinch ground black pepper. Peel the potatoes, carrots, and celeriac and cut into approx. 2–3 cm cubes. Peel and finely dice the onions and garlic. Lightly crush the juniper berries with the flat side of a knife so that they release their full forest aroma while braising. Preheat the oven to 160 °C top/bottom heat.

Heat 2 tbsp clarified butter (ghee) in a heavy, ovenproof braising pot (cast iron). Sear the beef cubes in batches over high heat until dark brown on all sides, then remove briefly. In the same pan drippings, sauté the diced onions and garlic until golden and translucent.

Return the seared meat along with any accumulated juices to the pot. Deglaze with 150 ml dry red wine and stir to loosen the browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Let the liquid reduce by half.