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Hungarian Goulash

Goulash serves as the national dish of Hungary. The dish is flavor-packed and delicious, and has a final consistency that lies somewhere between a soup and a stew.

Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
  • 24 oz chuck roast or other beef suited for stewing (cut into 1.25” chunks)
  • 4 Tbsp whole butter
  • 3 large white onions (large dice)
  • 4 cloves garlic (minced)
  • 3 red bell peppers (large dice)
  • 3 ripe tomatoes (large dice)
  • 5 Tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
  • 2 quarts beef broth
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp coarse kosher salt
  • 2 carrots (large dice)
  • 3 small-to-medium Yukon Gold potatoes (cut into bite-sized chunks)
  • Salt, & freshly ground black pepper ( to taste)

Instructions 

  • Pat your beef cubes dry with paper towels.
  • Add 3 Tbsp vegetable oil to very hot large saute pan and wait until the oil is nearly smoking.
  • Season your beef cubes with salt, and add some of the beef cubes to saute pan.
  • Do not overcrowd the pieces of meat by adding too much beef at once.
  • If the meat is overcrowded, it will likely steam instead of brown.
  • When the beef cubes are brown, remove from heat and allow to rest on a plate.
  • Deglaze the saute pan by turning off the heat and pouring in a few tablespoons of beef stock.
  • Use a wooden spoon to scrape off the browned bits of beef from the pan and incorporate them into the beef stock.
  • Pour this deglazing liquid into your large soup pot for use later.
  • Clean off the saute pan, and repeat the cooking process until all of the meat is browned.
  • Place the large soup pot on medium-low heat and add 4 Tbsp butter.  
  • Add onions and stir on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, or until the onions are translucent.
  • Add garlic cloves, red bell peppers, tomatoes, and the Hungarian sweet paprika and stir to combine.
  • Continue to cook while stirring for an additional five minutes.
  • Add the beef stock, bay leaves, browned beef, and 1 Tbsp kosher salt and increase heat to medium-high.
  • Bring soup to just below a simmer and allow the beef to gently cook in the hot liquid for roughly 50-60 minutes.
  • Add carrots and potatoes and cook the soup for an additional 40 minutes, or until the beefs, potatoes, and carrots are all completely fork-tender.
  • Adjust seasoning with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  • Serve hot, with crusty slices of buttered, toasted bread.

Notes

This recipe can feed a large family. The soup also tastes great re-heated the next day.