Old World (Hungarian) Goulash

This is an authentic meal from the “Old Country.” While I grew up in the Southwest, we had our days of ice, snow, and cold. On those days, my mother would cook up a hearty, decadent stew of beef and veggies swimming in a gravy of paprika and herbs.

I remember my sister-in-law showing her a new goulash of macaroni and ground beef in a tomato sauce. My mother’s comments were not suitable for replication here. Let us say this is a traditional goulash from the old country, not an American bastardization.

As for the roguechef twist, I have included some different paprikas, smoked (in minimal amounts), and hot (in larger quantities). In addition, I’ve added all sorts of root vegetables, to the point of more veggies than meat. (One does need a crew similar to the lair to consume that amount of food, though.)

From Wikipedia:

Goulash (Hungarian: gulyás, Albanian: gullash) is a soup or stew of meat and vegetables seasoned with paprika and other spices. Originating in Hungary, goulash is a common meal predominantly eaten in Central Europe but also in other parts of Europe. It is one of the national dishes of Hungary and a symbol of the country.

Its origin traces back to the 9th century to stews eaten by Hungarian shepherds. At that time, the cooked and flavored meat was dried with the help of the sun and packed into bags produced from sheep’s stomachs, needing only water to make it into a meal. Earlier versions of goulash did not include paprika, as it was not introduced to the Old World until the 16th century.

Old World (Hungarian) Goulash

NOT YOUR MOTHER'S H*MBURG*R H*LP*R. A real stew, with real meat, and real taste.

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 45 minutes mins

Course Dinner, Main Course, Soup, Stew

Cuisine European, Kosher

Servings 6 people

Calories 359 kcal

Equipment

• Large Dutch Oven

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 2 Lb Beef Chuck Cut to 1/2" Chunks
• 2 ea Onions Peeled, chunked to 1/2"
• 2 ea Bell Peppers Washed, cored, chunked to 1/2"
• 2 ea Carrots Washed, Peeled, chunked to 1/2"
• 2 ea Parsnips Washed, Peeled, chunked to 1/2"
• 1 lb Potatoes Yukon, Washed, Peeled, chunked to 1/2"
• 2 tsp Garlic Minced
• 1 ea Tomato Large, cored, chopped
• 3 tbsp neutral oil
• 2 tsp Dried Marjoram
• 2 tsp Caraway seed
• 8 oz Button Mushrooms Washed, chunked to 1/2"
• 1/4 cup Sweet Paprika Adjust to taste, maybe add some smoked paprika
• Kosher Salt To taste
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper To taste

Instructions

 

• Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium heat
• Whence the oil is hot, add onions/mushrooms/peppers
• Cook until onions are soft, translucent, and veggies are beginning to take color, ~ 10 minutes
• Bump the heat to high, and add beef, cook until slightly browned, season well with salt and pepper ~10 minutes
• Add spices, herbs, and garlic, cook until fragrant
• Add carrots, parsnips, 5 cups of water, bring to a boil
• Drop heat to medium, cover, and simmer until beef starts to tenderize, ~ 1 hour
• Add potatoes, and simmer uncovered until tender, ~20 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, simmer ~ 10 minutes
• Taste, season, and balance flavors

Notes

One can substitute the chuck with brisket.

Almost any root vegetable can be included. For example, one might add celery with the onions and mushrooms.

One can also use beef stock or broth in place of water; check the salt/seasoning levels. I have been known to add a glass of deep red wine as well

For a deeper, more decadent, and thicker stew, simmer the beef for a bit longer; it will only get more tender.

As an addition, frozen peas can be added and stirred in at the last minute, or pearl onions can be added with the potatoes.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 4gProtein: 31gFat: 25gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 104mgSodium: 128mgPotassium: 742mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 2309IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 45mgIron: 4mg

Keyword Beef, Soup, Stew

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