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Georgia · Samegrelo

Megrelian Walnut Kharcho (beef in smoked-pepper walnut sauce)

Make Megrelian walnut kharcho with tender beef, finely ground walnuts, smoked red pepper and a brief vinegar finish

Georgian home recipeGeorgian dish
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A wide earthenware bowl of beef kharcho in smoked walnut sauce on a dark wooden table.
Yield4 generous servings
Active preparationabout 20 minutes
Cookingabout 100 minutes, mostly a gentle beef simmer
Passive timenone
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The dish

About Megrelian Walnut Kharcho (beef in smoked-pepper walnut sauce)

### ხარჩო ნიგვზით მეგრული

Megrelian walnut kharcho is a thick beef dish from Samegrelo, distinct from the rice-and-broth kharcho soup found elsewhere in Georgia. Its defining sauce is made from finely ground walnuts, garlic, smoked red pepper and spices, loosened with beef broth and sharpened with vinegar or pomegranate.

This four-serving home version follows the beef-and-walnut branch: beef chuck is simmered in fresh broth, onions are softened in butter, and a walnut paste thickens the pot. The source ratios are rich in walnuts, so the finished sauce should be dense and spoon-coating. Ghomi is a traditional partner but is not included in the recipe or nutrition.

Smoked pepper, dried coriander and blue fenugreek give the seasoning its regional character. Bell pepper and corn flour belong to other interpretations and are not used here. Finish the walnut sauce with only a brief simmer so it stays smooth rather than turning oily.

Cook the dish

Ingredients

Megrelian Walnut Kharcho (beef in smoked-pepper walnut sauce)

Beef and broth

  • 500 gbeef chuck, trimmed of excess exterior fat and cut into 3 cm cubes
  • 3,000 mlwater total: 1,000 ml for the first short boil, then 2,000 ml fresh boiling water for the broth

Onion base

  • 400 gyellow onions, finely chopped
  • 50 gunsalted butter

Walnut seasoning

  • 250 gshelled English walnuts, finely ground
  • 4garlic cloves (about 12 g), finely grated
  • 2small dried smoked red peppers (about 6 g), stems and most seeds removed, finely ground; choose mild peppers and adjust the heat
  • 2 gground coriander
  • 1 gground blue fenugreek (utskho suneli)
  • 6 gfine salt, divided and adjusted to the broth and walnuts

Finishing acid

  • 5 mlwhite vinegar, briefly brought to a boil before adding
Method

Method

  1. Give the beef a short first boil. Bring 1,000 ml water to a boil in a large pot. Add the beef, return to a boil and skim the foam for 5 minutes. Drain the beef, wash the pot and discard this first water. Do not rinse the meat under running water.

  2. Simmer until tender. Return the beef to the clean pot and add 2,000 ml fresh boiling water plus about 2 g of the measured salt. Bring back to a boil, then partly cover and simmer gently until the largest cubes are fork-tender, about 75–90 minutes. Check a large intact piece with a food thermometer: it must reach at least 63°C and remain at or above that temperature for at least 3 minutes before serving. Continue the gentle simmer until fork-tender, keeping the beef covered with broth; reserve the cooking liquid.

  3. Soften the onions. While the beef simmers, melt the butter in a covered heavy saucepan over low heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft and pale golden, about 20–25 minutes. Do not brown them deeply.

  4. Make the walnut paste. Grind the walnuts with the garlic, smoked pepper, coriander, blue fenugreek and remaining salt. Gradually stir in 400–500 ml hot reserved broth to make a smooth, pourable sauce. Keep the rest of the broth to adjust the stew's thickness.

  5. Finish the kharcho. Combine the tender beef and onions in a heavy pot. Stir in the walnut sauce and enough reserved broth to make a thick sauce that coats the meat. Heat gently, stirring, just until the first bubbles appear; do not boil it for long. Briefly boil the vinegar in a small pan, stir it into the kharcho, turn off the heat and taste for salt and heat.

  6. Rest and serve. Let the stew stand for 5 minutes, then serve hot in shallow bowls. Offer ghomi as the traditional Samegrelo accompaniment; it is separate from this recipe.

Practical guidance

Tips for success

  • Cut the beef into even 3 cm cubes and simmer gently in fresh water after discarding the first short boil; a rolling boil can toughen the meat and cloud the broth.
  • Grind the walnuts very finely and add hot broth gradually, stirring into a smooth paste before it goes into the pot.
  • Once the walnut sauce is in, stir steadily and stop heating as soon as the first bubbles appear. A long hard boil can split the walnut oils.
Practical guidance

Practical guidance

  • If the broth is salty or reduces more than expected, use it sparingly when loosening the walnuts and adjust the sauce with hot water. Aim for a thick, spoon-coating consistency.
  • Remove stems and most seeds from the smoked peppers for a rounded heat. Use less if their strength is unknown; the dish should be lively, not harsh.
  • Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers. Store covered at 4°C or colder for 3–4 days. Reheat gently until the centre reaches 74°C throughout, loosening with a splash of water or broth; do not boil hard.
Nutrition per serving

Estimated nutrition per serving

Approximate values for one quarter of the pot, including the full 6 g of salt:

  • Energy: about 840 kcal.
  • Carbohydrates: about 20 g.
  • Protein: about 33 g.
  • Fat: about 74 g.
  • Fibre: about 7 g.
  • Sodium: about 700 mg.
  • Basis: the batch is estimated at about 3,370 kcal, 80 g carbohydrate, 132 g protein, 294 g fat, 28 g fibre and 2,800 mg sodium, divided by four and rounded. Moderately marbled raw beef chuck, English walnuts, onion, butter and the listed seasonings are included. Actual beef trim, walnut composition, salt retained in broth and serving size affect the values; package labels give a closer estimate.
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains walnuts (tree nuts) and milk from butter. Keep raw beef separate from ready-to-eat foods and wash hands, utensils and surfaces after handling it. Cook the largest intact beef cube to at least 63°C and allow a 3-minute rest; continue the gentle simmer until fork-tender. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers at 4°C or colder, use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C throughout.

Serving and finish

Serving and finish

  • The walnut sauce should be thick, smooth and glossy, coating tender pieces of beef without separating into a pool of oil.
  • Serve piping hot. Ghomi is the traditional Samegrelo partner and balances the smoked pepper's heat; it is not counted in this recipe.
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