Today I got some »comfort food« for you – at least that’s what we would call it here. Assuming you like and eat meat. I got a delicious dish that is perfect for fall and winter: Hungarian Goulash! A dish I love since I was a kid. Preparing goulash (the stew, not the soup) takes some time – that’s why we normally make it only on a weekend. Watching a bubbling pot for several hours on a weeknight after work is just not manageable ;)
I learned how to make goulash from my mom several years (or rather decades) ago. She’s not from Hungary, but in my opinion, she made the best goulash in the world. Nowadays, we live far from each other, which means I can’t enjoy her goulash anymore – I got to prepare it myself if I am craving this dish ;)
There are many different kinds of goulash out there – this one here is probably not really what you would call an “original Hungarian goulash”, but It’s pretty close I guess. I think the real thing has more onions and no bell peppers added (but some bell pepper paste). Well… the flavors are there and it tastes like goulash I actually tried in Hungary, so we are fine I guess ;)
Anyway. As already mentioned above, a proper goulash takes some time to cook. The meat should simmer for at least 3 hours – after that time the meat will melt on your tongue. If you ever made a bolognese sauce you probably know how long cooking a sauce can take. Never rush, stay calm, and let the sauce/stew bubble. Most of the time we do goulash, we also make some homemade pasta that’s being served along with the goulash. If you invest so much time why not make the dish perfect with homemade Spätzle or Knöpfle ;) You got to try it – you will see it’s the best dish ever!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
(5-6 servings)
35 oz. (1 kg) stew beef (bottom round or chuck)
1 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 large onions
2-3 garlic cloves
3-4 tbsp. clarified butter
3 tsp. paprika powder (sweet)
2 tsp. smoked paprika powder (Pimentón Dulce Ahumado)
salt, pepper
5 tbsp. tomato paste
8.5 fl. oz. (250ml) dry red wine
6.8 fl. oz. (200ml) beef broth
2-3 red bell peppers
flour paste to thicken the sauce (optional)
(5-6 Portionen)
1 kg Rindfleisch, aus der Keule
1 EL Mehl (Type 550)
2 große Zwiebeln
2-3 Knoblauchzehen
3-4 EL Butterschmalz
3 TL Paprikapulver (Edelsüß)
2 TL Paprikapulver, geräuchert (Pimentón Dulce Ahumado)
Salz, Pfeffer
5 EL Tomatenmark
250ml trockener Rotwein
200ml Rinderbrühe
2-3 rote Paprikaschoten
Mehlpaste zum Andicken (optional)
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
1. Dry the beef with some kitchen paper and cut into roughly 1.2 inches thick pieces – place in a bowl and sprinkle with the flour to coat lightly from all sides. Set aside. Peel and dice the onions and garlic. Set aside.
2. Add the clarified butter to a large dutch oven and heat up – it should be quite hot but not smoking. Add the meat in several batches (so the temperature won’t drop too much) and sear from all sides until nicely browned – it does not have to be cooked through, it just needs color. Take out, place on a plate and sear the next batch. When all the meat is done and out of the pot, add the onions and fry until soft and glossy – you might need to add some more clarified butter. After 1-2 minutes add the garlic as well. When everything looks glossy and slightly browned add the meat again (with all the juices that might have come out) and stir. Add the two paprika powders and season well with salt and pepper – mix well. Add the tomato paste, mix well and let cook for 1-2 minutes so it can develop some flavor. Deglaze with the red wine and beef broth, stir well and let the liquid come to a quick boil – then cover the dutch oven with the lid and reduce the temperature to medium-low and let the goulash simmer for 2 1/2 hours. Check from time to time and stir.
3. Wash and dry the bell peppers, remove the seeds and insides and cut into not too small pieces. When the cooking time is over, add to the dutch oven, mix in and let cook with the meat for about 30 minutes. If your sauce is not thick enough, mix some flour with cold water to get a thick flour paste – use this paste to thicken the sauce by gradually mixing some of it into the sauce until you get the consistency you like. You probably won’t need much though. Season one last time with salt and pepper if needed and serve with some ribbon noodles, Spätzle, or potato dumplings.
1. Das Fleisch (ggf. erst noch trockentupfen und) in etwa 3cm große Würfel schneiden – in eine Schüssel geben und mit dem Mehl rundherum bestäuben. Zur Seite stellen. Die Zwiebeln und Knoblauch schälen und würfeln.
2. Das Butterschmalz in einen großen Gußeisernen Topf geben und stark erhitzen. Das Fleisch in mehreren Portionen rundherum scharf anbraten. Wenn das Fleisch schön gebräunt ist, aus dem Topf holen und auf einem Teller zwischenlagern. Die Zwiebeln in den Topf geben und glasig andünsten – ggf. noch etwas Butterschmalz dazugeben. Nach 1-2 Minuten den Knoblauch mit dazugeben und mit andünsten. Das Fleisch wieder in den Topf geben und alles gut vermengen. Die beiden Paprikapulver dazugeben und gut unterrühren. Großzügig mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen. Das Tomatenmark dazugeben, alles gut verrühren und für 1-2 Minuten mit anbraten. Mit dem Rotwein und der Rinderbrühe ablöschen. Einmal kurz aufkochen lassen, dann einen Deckel raufsetzen und bei mittlerer Hitzezufuhr für 2 1/2 Stunden köcheln lassen. Zwischendurch immer mal checken und umrühren.
3. Die Paprikaschoten waschen, trocknen, Kerne entfernen und dann in nicht zu kleine Würfel schneiden. Nach den 2 1/2 Stunden mit zum Topf dazugeben, gut vermengen und dann 30 Minuten mitköcheln lassen. Sollte die Soße am Ende nicht dickflüssig genug sein, einfach etwas Mehl mit wenig kaltem Wasser zu einer dickflüssigen Paste anrühren – nach und nach etwas zum Topf dazugeben und unterrühren, bis die Konsistenz passt. Normalerweise braucht es da nicht viel. Noch einmal mit Salz und Pfeffer würzen, falls notwendig. Mit Bandnudeln, Spätzle oder Kartoffelknödeln servieren.
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Here is a version of the recipe you can print easily.
PrintHungarian Goulash
- Prep Time: 00:30
- Cook Time: 03:00
- Total Time: 04:00
- Yield: 6
- Category: Dinner
- Cuisine: Hungarian
Description
One of my favorite dishes my mom tought me: Hungarian Goulash with homemade egg noodles! So good!
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Enjoy cooking!
As a Hungian, let me leave some comments. This is a great recipe so far, but some small details to make it more authentic.
Use smoked bacon instead of or beside the butter. Add more onions, that will thicken the sauce also. I used to add the peppers earlier or using “lecsó” a version of rtatouille w onions, peppers and tomatoes.
Hi Zoli,
thanks for the tips – next time I will try it like that! :)
Cheers
Marc