Entree: Russia – Cossack Cuisine – Бешбармак ➤ Beshbarmak (Boiled meat served over wide flat noodles with a savory onion broth)

Serving Size: 6

Approximate Time

Prep 45 min

Cook 2 hrs 15 min

Additional 30 min

Total 2 hrs 45 min

Ingredients

- 2 lb (900 g) lamb shoulder, bone-in, cut into large pieces
- 1 lb (450 g) beef shank, bone-in, cut into large pieces
- 12 cups (2.8 L) water
- 1 tbsp (18 g) kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1 tsp (2 g) whole black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 3 large onions, peeled (1 whole for simmering, 2 thinly sliced for onion sauce)
- 4 cups (500 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (6 g) salt (for dough)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water, plus more as needed for dough
- 4 tbsp (60 g) unsalted butter or rendered lamb fat
- 1 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup (15 g) fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Instructions

1. Place the lamb and beef pieces in a large stockpot with 12 cups (2.8 L) water, 1 tbsp (18 g) salt, peppercorns, bay leaves, and 1 whole peeled onion. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook until meat is very tender, about 2 to 3 hours.
2. Remove meat to a platter and let cool slightly. Strain the broth through a fine sieve into another pot and keep hot; reserve the bones if you wish to reduce the broth further for greater concentration.
3. While the meat simmers, make the noodles: on a work surface combine 4 cups (500 g) flour and 1 tsp (6 g) salt. Make a well, add 2 large eggs and 1/2 cup (120 ml) cold water, and mix to form a stiff dough. Knead 8–10 minutes until smooth. Cover and rest 30 minutes.
4. Roll the dough thin (about 1/16–1/8 inch / 1.5–3 mm) and cut into broad squares or wide ribbons about 2–3 inches (5–7.5 cm) across. Toss lightly with flour to prevent sticking.
5. Bring a pot of the reserved hot broth to a simmer. Cook the noodles in batches in the simmering broth until tender, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Remove with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a shallow serving dish, ladling a little broth over them to prevent drying.
6. Shred or slice the cooled meat into bite-size pieces or thin slices and keep warm.
7. For the onion sauce, heat 4 tbsp (60 g) butter or rendered lamb fat in a skillet over medium heat. Add the 2 thinly sliced onions and cook slowly until deeply translucent and sweet, about 15–20 minutes. Add 1 tsp (2 g) ground black pepper and 1–2 ladles (about 1/2–1 cup / 120–240 ml) of the strained hot broth to make a glossy sauce; adjust salt to taste.
8. To serve, arrange a layer of noodles on a large platter, spread the sliced meat over the noodles, and spoon the hot onion-broth sauce over everything so the noodles soak up the broth. Garnish with 1/4 cup (15 g) chopped parsley and serve family-style with extra hot broth on the side.