Biff à la Lindström
Biff à la Lindström·(biff ah-lah lin-struhm)
Husmanskost (The Honest Weeknight Skillet)
The Lindström patty sits heavy in the cast-iron skillet. Built for a Tuesday night, it eats like a sharp, briny meatball anchored by the earthy collision of sweet-tart pickled beets and a jar of supermarket capers folded directly into rich ground beef. We bypass the time-consuming boiled potato binder for a quick breadcrumb panade spiked with vivid beet juice, keeping the meat tender as the fat hisses—keep the pan hot, fry it in butter, plate with a runny fried egg and buttered potatoes, never shoved in a bun.
Ingredients
- plain breadcrumbs1/4 cup
- cold water3 tbsp
- pickled beet brine1 tbsp
- jarred sweet pickled beets1/2 cup
- capers2 tbsp
- yellow onion1/2 med
- Dijon mustard1 tbsp
- Worcestershire sauce1 tsp
- kosher salt1 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- egg1 large
- 80/20 ground chuck1 lb
- unsalted butter2 tbsp
- neutral oil1 tbsp
- eggs4 large
- baby potatoes1 lb
- unsalted butter4 tbsp
- fresh parsley2 tbsp
- dill pickles1 cup
Method
- 01
Hydrate the breadcrumbs to create the panade.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, water, and pickled beet juice, letting it sit for five minutes until swollen to replace the traditional but time-consuming cold boiled potato.
- 02
Build the flavor slurry.
Add the finely diced beets, chopped capers, grated onion with its juices, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and the single egg to the panade, whisking until it forms a cohesive, colorful base.
- 03
Fold in the beef gently.
Add the ground chuck to the bowl, using your hands or a fork to fold the meat into the beet mixture just until distributed, stopping immediately to prevent the meat from becoming dense and tough.
- 04
Shape and dimple the patties.
Divide the mixture into eight equal portions, forming them into three-quarter-inch thick rounds with wet hands, then pressing a shallow dimple into the center of each with your thumb so they fry perfectly flat.
- 05
Fry the patties to a deep crust.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat with the two tablespoons of butter and the oil, frying the patties in batches for three to four minutes per side until a deeply caramelized crust forms while leaving the center juicy and slightly pink.
- 06
Prepare the parsley butter.
While the patties rest on a warm platter, mash the softened four tablespoons of butter with the finely chopped parsley and a pinch of salt until well combined.
- 07
Fry the remaining eggs and assemble the plates.
Wipe the skillet, add a little more butter if needed, and fry four eggs sunny-side up, serving two hot patties per plate alongside the boiled potatoes, pickles, and a melting spoonful of parsley butter over the top.
Notes
Buy the right beets.
Look for standard jarred sweet pickled beets in the supermarket. Do not use plain canned beets or thickened Harvard beets, as they entirely lack the sharp, sweet vinegar bite needed to balance the rich beef.
Grate, do not chop.
Grating the onion on a box grater instead of chopping it ensures the patty isn't compromised by raw, crunchy pieces of onion that disrupt the tender texture of the beef.