Tiroler Gröstl With Beef, Potatoes, and a Fried Egg

Imperial October 25, 2026October 25, 2026

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 4 generous servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 55 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Quick Ingredients

900 g (2 lb) waxy potatoes, cut into 1.25 cm (½-inch) slices or half-moons
450 g (1 lb) cooked roast beef, trimmed and thinly sliced across the grain
250 g (about 2 medium) yellow onions, thinly sliced
42 g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter
30 ml (2 tablespoons) neutral oil, divided
1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried marjoram and ½ teaspoon caraway seeds
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley and 1 tablespoon finely snipped chives

Do This

1. Cover the potatoes with cold water, add ½ teaspoon salt, bring to a boil, and simmer for 12 minutes. Drain and steam-dry for 8 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, soften the onions in 1 tablespoon butter and 2 teaspoons oil over medium heat for 8 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
3. Brown the potatoes in two batches over medium-high heat, using 1 tablespoon butter and 1 teaspoon oil per batch. Cook each batch for 10 minutes, turning halfway through.
4. Remove the potatoes. Sear the beef in the same skillet for 3 minutes, then add the onions, marjoram, caraway, pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt.
5. Return all the potatoes and cook for 4 minutes, folding gently, until the beef reaches 74°C (165°F).
6. In a separate skillet, fry the eggs in the remaining 2 teaspoons oil over medium-low heat for 5 minutes. Season with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.
7. Scatter the parsley and chives over the potatoes and beef. Divide among four plates and top each serving with a fried egg.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Tiroler Gröstl is the kind of Alpine comfort food that turns simple ingredients into something deeply satisfying. This Tyrolean skillet combines crisp-edged potatoes, browned cooked beef, and sweet onions, with marjoram, caraway, fresh herbs, and a fried egg to bring everything together.

A delicious use for leftover roast beef: Thin slices become savory, browned bites without needing a separate roast.
Plenty of golden edges: Drying the potatoes and cooking them in batches gives you a proper skillet crust.
Hearty enough for a complete meal: Each serving comes with potatoes, beef, and its own fried egg.
Simple, comforting flavors: Sweet onions, buttery potatoes, and fresh herbs do most of the work.

Grocery List

Produce: 900 g waxy potatoes, 250 g yellow onions, 1 small bunch fresh parsley, 1 small bunch chives.
Meat: 450 g cooked roast beef, preferably lightly seasoned and without gravy.
Dairy: 42 g unsalted butter.
Eggs: 4 large eggs; choose pasteurized eggs if serving the yolks soft.
Pantry: Neutral oil, fine sea salt, black pepper, dried marjoram, caraway seeds.

Full Ingredients

For the Potatoes and Beef

900 g (2 lb) waxy potatoes, such as Charlotte, fingerling, or red potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1.25 cm (½-inch) slices; halve larger potatoes lengthwise before slicing
450 g (1 lb) cooked roast beef, trimmed of excess fat and sliced across the grain into bite-size pieces about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick
250 g yellow onions, about 2 medium, peeled and thinly sliced
42 g (3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, divided into three 14 g portions
20 ml (4 teaspoons) neutral oil, such as sunflower or canola, divided
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, divided: ½ teaspoon for the potato water and ¼ teaspoon for the skillet
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
½ teaspoon caraway seeds, lightly crushed
1.5 liters (about 6⅓ cups) cold water, for boiling the potatoes

For the Eggs and Finishing

4 large eggs
10 ml (2 teaspoons) neutral oil
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, about 8 g
1 tablespoon finely snipped fresh chives, about 3 g

Tiroler Gröstl With Beef, Potatoes, and a Fried Egg – Closeup

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Simmer the potatoes until just tender

Put the sliced potatoes in a medium saucepan with 1.5 liters cold water and ½ teaspoon salt. The water should cover the potatoes by about 2 cm (¾ inch); use a suitably sized saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer gently for 12 minutes. A small knife should slide into a slice with slight resistance, and the slices should still hold their shape.

Drain carefully. Spread the potatoes on a large tray and leave them uncovered for 8 minutes so steam can escape. This drying time is important: damp potatoes tend to steam rather than brown.

Step 2: Soften and lightly brown the onions

While the potatoes are drying, heat a 30 cm (12-inch) heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 14 g (1 tablespoon) butter and 10 ml (2 teaspoons) oil. Add the onions and cook for 8 minutes, stirring every 1–2 minutes, until softened with pale golden edges. Transfer the onions to a bowl, leaving any remaining fat in the skillet.

Step 3: Give the potatoes a golden crust

Increase the heat to medium-high. Add another 14 g (1 tablespoon) butter and 5 ml (1 teaspoon) oil. Once the butter is foaming, arrange half the potatoes in a mostly single layer. Cook undisturbed for 5 minutes, then turn them with a thin spatula and cook for another 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Repeat with the remaining potatoes, the final 14 g (1 tablespoon) butter, and another 5 ml (1 teaspoon) oil. Transfer the second batch to the plate. Look for deep golden patches and crisp edges; if the butter begins to darken rapidly, reduce the heat to medium.

Step 4: Brown the beef and add the seasonings

Add the sliced cooked beef to the hot skillet, using the fat left from the potatoes. Spread it out and cook over medium-high heat for 3 minutes, turning once, until browned in places.

Return the onions to the skillet. Add the marjoram, lightly crushed caraway seeds, black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Fold everything together so the warm fat carries the seasonings through the beef and onions.

Step 5: Bring the skillet together

Return all the potatoes to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 4 minutes, gently folding the mixture twice rather than stirring constantly. This keeps the potato slices intact and preserves their browned edges.

Check that the reheated beef reaches 74°C (165°F) with an instant-read thermometer, cooking a little longer if needed. Taste before adding any extra seasoning, especially if your roast beef was already well salted.

Step 6: Fry the eggs

While the beef and potatoes finish, heat the remaining 10 ml (2 teaspoons) oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Crack in the eggs, spacing them apart, and fry for 5 minutes, until the whites are opaque and set and the yolks are still soft. Sprinkle the eggs with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.

For fully cooked eggs, cover the skillet and continue cooking until both whites and yolks are firm and reach 71°C (160°F). Use pasteurized eggs when serving soft yolks; fully cooked eggs are the safer choice for pregnant people, young children, older adults, and anyone with a weakened immune system.

Step 7: Finish with herbs and serve hot

Scatter the parsley and chives over the potato-and-beef mixture, reserving a small pinch for the eggs. Divide the Gröstl among four warm plates or shallow bowls. Set one fried egg on each portion and finish with the reserved herbs. Serve immediately while the potatoes are crisp and the skillet is piping hot.

Pro Tips

Start with cooked beef, not raw: Leftover roast beef or boiled beef works well. Pat it dry and remove thick pockets of fat or any heavy gravy before slicing.
Use a heavy pan: Cast iron or a heavy stainless-steel skillet holds heat well and gives the potatoes a better crust.
Give the potatoes space: Two batches are worth the extra few minutes. A crowded pan traps moisture and makes browning much harder.
Let the crust form: Resist moving the potatoes during the first 5 minutes of each batch. They will release more easily once their undersides are golden.
Keep the seasoning balanced: Lightly crushing the caraway releases its aroma without overwhelming the potatoes. Taste before adding more salt to seasoned leftover beef.

Variations

Smoky bacon version: Dice 100 g smoked bacon and cook it in the dry skillet over medium heat for 6–8 minutes before adding the onions. Use the rendered fat in place of the first tablespoon of butter, and reduce the added salt to suit the bacon.
Roast pork Gröstl: Replace the beef with 450 g cooked roast pork, sliced to the same thickness. Reheat it to 74°C (165°F).
Mushroom skillet: Replace the beef with 450 g sliced cremini mushrooms. Brown them in two batches for 6 minutes per batch, allowing their released moisture to evaporate before combining with the onions and potatoes.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Make ahead: Boil and drain the potatoes up to 24 hours ahead. Spread them in a shallow container, refrigerate within 2 hours, and chill covered once cold. Slice the cooked beef and onions ahead as well, storing them separately in the refrigerator at 4°C (40°F) or below. Chilled potatoes brown especially well; allow an extra 2–3 minutes per batch if needed.

Store: Refrigerate leftover Gröstl in a shallow, airtight container within 2 hours of cooking. Use within 3–4 days, counting from when the beef was originally cooked, not from when it was added to this skillet. For the best texture, cook fresh eggs when serving leftovers.

Reheat: Warm the potato-and-beef mixture in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat for 8–10 minutes, turning occasionally, until it reaches 74°C (165°F). Freeze the mixture without eggs for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating. Frozen potatoes will be somewhat softer.

Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated for one-quarter of the recipe, including one egg. Values vary with the cut and seasoning of the cooked beef.