Hungarian Beef Goulash
This is a great European Beef Stew to make…
I like cooking dishes that simmer on the stove top for hours. The aroma floats in the air and gives that “homey” atmosphere all through the house. It’s says – “Welcome, we’ll be serving great food soon…”
When I was working as a food analyst for an American cooking website, some of the women in the Canadian division that were doing the same thing I was preferred cooking in a pressure cooker. I don’t and refuse to because I love the smell of food cooking versus that sealed pot that captures all of the aroma. I also like to taste the food while it’s cooking and the flavors develop. Now try doing that when the pressure cooker is on… good luck! Please don’t even attempt doing it… you’ll be scarred for life!
There’s also the economical aspect when cooking stews… The cheapest cuts of beef are used in stew recipes. Although they are pretty tough cuts of beef, cooking them slowly for long periods of time breaks down the collagen and transforms it into tender pieces of meat. If you buy cuts of meat with less connective tissue they’ll get tough and be far from tender.
I love cooking stews and there’s one that dates back to Medieval Times that is one of my ultimate comfort foods… my Hungarian Beef Goulash! The seasoning in this recipe is just awesome and blends so well with the other ingredients. I used to serve my goulash with mashed potatoes but a friend of mine from Toronto served hers on a bed of egg noodles and honestly, I really liked it! Is it the right way to serve Hungarian Beef Goulash? Probably not but who cares… really! If you want to serve it with whole boiled potatoes nothing is stopping you for doing so as long as you’re happy when you eat it… now that’s the spirit you want when enjoying your goulash!
If you want to take this dish a notch higher, make your own pasta. Click on this link to get the recipe… Homemade Pasta
If I can describe Hungarian Beef Goulash in two words, simply put, it’s “comfort food”. It’s the kind of dish that you want to serve while the weather is still cool outside. Depending on the year, April can still be quite chilly so before BBQ season officially begins and we start wearing our sandals, this is a recipe you definitely have to try.
Bon Appétit!
Here are several other European recipes for you to enjoy…
– Mediterranean Fish Fillet with Tapenade
– Potato Gnocchi
– Beef Stroganoff
– Prawn Saganaki
– Spanish Paella
– Beer Battered Fish
and for even more beef recipes, click on this link… Recipe Category • Beef
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Hungarian Beef Goulash
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Ingredients
- 1/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp. hot paprika
- 2 1/2 lbs. beef blade roast or beef chuck roast, cut into 2-inch cubes
- 2 tbsp. olive oil tips & tricks
- 4 cups white onions, chopped in chunks
- 1 1/2 cups red peppers, chopped in chunks
- 1 1/2 cups green peppers, chopped in chunks
- 1/4 tsp. ground Himalayan sea salt, or more to taste
- 2 tsp. ground caraway seeds
- 1 1/2 tbsp. mild paprika
- 1/2 tbsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. ground marjoram
- 1/2 tsp. ground thyme
- 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste (I always use mixed peppercorns)
- 1/4 cup dry red wine
- 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/4 cup tomato paste tips & tricks
- 3 large cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
- 1 tsp. granulated sugar
- 1 large bay leaf
- dollops of light sour cream, for garnish
- fresh chopped parsley, for garnish tips & tricks
- egg noodles or mashed potatoes
Directions
- In a small bowl, combine flour and hot paprika. Transfer to a fine sieve and sprinkle on the beef cubes to coat.
- In a large deep skillet over high heat, add vegetable oil. When it’s hot, working in batches, add cubes and cook until they just start to brown, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a large bowl while cooking the remaining cubes.
- Reduce the heat to medium before adding onions and peppers; sprinkle on sea salt and cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer to the bowl with partially cooked beef using a slotted spoon.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the skillet to cool off a little before returning to the burner.
- Using a spice grinder, crush caraway seeds. Add to the skillet along with mild paprika, smoked paprika, marjoram, thyme, cayenne pepper and freshly ground black pepper. Toast spices, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes.
- Pour in red wine and stir until it forms a paste.
- Add 1 cup beef broth and stir until the paste is gone and the liquid is smooth.
- Increase the heat to medium and add tomato paste; stir until dissolved.
- Add garlic, stir and when it starts to simmer again, transfer the meat and vegetables back to the skillet. Pour in the remaining broth and add balsamic vinegar, sugar and bay leaf. Stir and increase the heat to high; bring to a boil.
- Reduce the heat and maintain a steady simmer; cook for 1 ½ to 2 hours or until the meat is tender. During cooking, skim off any fat on top and discard it. If the liquid level is low, add a splash of stock.
- About 1 ½ hours later, test the meat tenderness and adjust seasoning if needed.
- Finish on medium heat to reduce the sauce, about 30 minutes.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf before serving. Ladle over buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes; spoon on some sour cream and sprinkle with parsley.
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