In winter, I often crave the kind of comfort food that sticks to your ribs. The good news is that these dishes are often very successfully made with less expensive cuts of meat, provided you’re willing to invest a little time in slow-braising them.
After the success of my Beef Shin and a Red Wine Jus, I decided to try a different style of jus. This one is all about the onions. Onion, baby leeks, whole shallots and brown mushrooms work together to create a dark, rich, deeply savoury jus that’s packed with flavour.
The secret to this recipe is braising the beef gently on the stove top rather than in a pressure cooker. This preserves the texture of the vegetables, allowing the whole shallots to remain beautifully soft and silky while the mushrooms and onions enrich the sauce. It’s also worth taking the time to reduce the jus until it’s glossy and viscous. I removed most of the vegetables before reducing the sauce, but didn’t strain it because I wanted to keep the finished dish rustic and full of character.
If you’re wondering how a recipe with this many onions can still be keto, don’t worry. Although onions do contribute carbohydrates, they’re shared across the entire recipe and provide so much flavour that they’re well worth including. As long as the rest of your day is relatively low in carbs, this dish will still fit comfortably into a keto lifestyle.
I thought long and hard about what to serve with this. Cauliflower mash would be a wonderful choice, but my recommendation is creamed spinach. It complements the rich beef and glossy onion jus beautifully without competing for attention.
Braised Beef & Onion
Tender chuck beef is slow-braised until fork tender, then served with braised shallots, mushrooms and a glossy dark onion jus. Finished with fresh chives, this comforting keto-friendly dish is rich, deeply savoury and perfect for a cosy winter meal.
Ingredients
- 1 kg chuck steaks
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2–3 Tbsp coconut oil, olive oil or beef tallow
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 1 packet baby leeks, sliced
- 250–300 g mushrooms, sliced
- 4–5 garlic cloves, crushed
- 6–8 shallots, peeled and left whole
- 1 Tbsp tomato paste
- 1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1½–2 cups good beef stock
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (optional)
- 2–3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- Chives, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Pat the chuck steaks dry and season generously with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Heat a heavy pot over medium-high heat and add the oil or tallow.
Brown the chuck steaks well on both sides, working in batches if necessary. Don't rush this step—the colour you develop here becomes flavour later.
Remove the beef and set aside.
Reduce the heat slightly.
Add the sliced onion and cook until softened and beginning to caramelise.
Add the sliced baby leeks and cook for another few minutes.
Add the mushrooms and cook until they've released their moisture and are beginning to brown.
Stir in the garlic and cook for about a minute.
Add the tomato paste and cook for another minute, stirring constantly.
Pour in the balsamic vinegar and scrape up every browned bit from the bottom of the pot.
Return the chuck steaks to the pot.
Pour in the beef stock and add the Worcestershire sauce, thyme and bay leaf.
The liquid should come about halfway up the meat rather than covering it completely.
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Cover with a lid and cook on the lowest possible heat.
After about 1 hour, nestle the whole shallots into the braising liquid.
Continue cooking for another 1 to 1½ hours, or until the chuck is completely fork-tender. If it still feels firm, simply keep cooking—it will eventually relax.
Carefully remove the chuck and the whole shallots and keep them warm.
Using a slotted spoon, remove most of the onions, leeks and mushrooms.
Discard the thyme stems and bay leaf.
Bring the remaining liquid to a brisk simmer and reduce until it becomes glossy and concentrated.
Serve with the mushrooms and onions, and drizzle the juice over the meat. Garnish with chopped chives.
Notes
- Browning the beef properly is one of the most important steps in this recipe. Take your time and develop a deep golden crust before adding the vegetables.
- Add the whole shallots about halfway through the cooking time. This allows them to become soft and silky while still holding their shape.
- Don't rush the final reduction. The magic happens in the last few minutes, when the braising liquid transforms into a rich, glossy jus.
- Taste the jus before serving. Depending on your stock and the sweetness of your onions, you may find it doesn't need any additional acidity, but you can add a squeeze of lemon if you wish.
- Leftovers reheat beautifully, and the flavours become even richer the following day.
- Serve with creamed spinach or cauliflower mash for a complete keto meal.
Nutritional Information (Per Serving — 4 servings)
- Calories: ~730 kcal
- Protein: ~43 g
- Fat: ~56 g
- Net Carbs: ~9 g
Nutritional information provided with recipes is generated using software tools and AI-assisted calculations, and should be regarded as an estimate only.
