Swedish beef fillet

Here’s a delicious and elegant recipe for a Swedish-style beef fillet (filé av oxfilé) — tender beef paired with classic Scandinavian flavors like creamy sauce, lingonberry, and potatoes. 🇸🇪🥩

🥩 Swedish Beef Fillet (Oxfilé med gräddsås)

🧾 Ingredients (serves 2)

For the beef:

2 beef fillets (about 180–200 g each)
Salt & pepper
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
Optional: sprig of thyme or rosemary + crushed garlic for aromatics

For the creamy sauce (gräddsås):

1 small shallot, finely chopped
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp flour (optional, for thickening)
100 ml beef stock
100 ml heavy cream (or crème fraîche)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp Dijon mustard
Salt & pepper to taste

To serve:

Mashed or boiled potatoes (or potato gratin)
Lingonberry jam (a must!)
Pickled cucumber or sautéed mushrooms (optional)

🔥 Instructions

1. Prepare the beef fillet:

Bring meat to room temp (~30 min out of fridge).
Season with salt and pepper.
Heat butter + oil in a pan over medium-high heat.
Sear beef fillets 2–3 minutes per side (medium-rare), basting with butter.
Optional: Add thyme/garlic for aroma in the last minute.
Rest the meat loosely covered with foil.

2. Make the Swedish cream sauce:

In the same pan, sauté chopped shallot in butter until soft.
Add flour if using, stir for 30 sec.
Pour in beef stock and let it reduce slightly.
Stir in cream, soy sauce, mustard, salt & pepper.
Simmer 3–5 min until thickened and silky.

3. Serve:

Plate the fillet with potatoes.
Spoon over the cream sauce.
Add a dollop of lingonberry jam on the side (classic contrast).
Optionally garnish with herbs or fried onions.

💡 Tips

Rare/Medium-Rare? Internal temp should be around 55–57°C (131–135°F) after resting.
Want to upgrade? Add chanterelle mushrooms to the sauce — very Swedish!
No lingonberry jam? Substitute with red currant or cranberry sauce.

Would you like a wine pairing or a more festive variation (e.g., Beef Fillet “Oscar” with asparagus & bearnaise)?