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Beef goulash

Beef goulash (Marhapörkölt) is a traditional Hungarian stew, loved all over the world. I have come across some weird recipes in English which have elements that are never used in a proper, authentic goulash (such as tinned tomatoes!). This is my family’s recipe, which I have modernised a bit with the use of sweet red pepper. (In Hungary we always make goulash with pale green/yellow pepper, which is not available elsewhere). Also, I like making my goulash with wine, which is not in the original recipe, but you can use water or stock instead.  We normally servegoulashwith boiled potatoes (cooked with caraway seeds) ornokedli(little dumplings) but rice or just some crusty bread goes well with it too.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours
Resting Time 4 hours
Total Time 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Cuisine: Mid&East European
Calories: 1234
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 750 g stewing beef steak
  • 1 Tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 large onion
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 Tbsp sweet paprika
  • 200 ml red wine
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 Tbsp tomato purée
  • 500 ml beef stock
  • 1 tomato halved
  • 2 carrots
  • 1 pointed green pepper can be spicy
  • 2 sweet red pepper
  • 1 small bunch of parsley
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • To serve: chopped parsley

Method
 

  1. Trim any hard fat off the beef and cut the meat into 3cm chunks.
  2. Thinly slice the onion and 1 garlic clove.
  3. Heat the oil in a large saucepan. Add the onion and garlic and gently soften for about 8 minutes.
  4. Add the steak, season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, then fry until browned all over, stirring constantly.
  5. Sprinkle the paprika over the meat add the tomato purée and stir for a minute. Add the wine and the bay leaves. Turn up the heat and reduce the sauce by half.
  6. Add the stock, the tomatoes – then the carrots, green pepper and one red pepper (all as whole!).
  7. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about 90-120 minutes, depending on the toughness of the beef.
  8. When the meat is tender, take off the lid. Discard the bay leaves, peppers and tomato skins.
  9. Cut the remaining red pepper into slices or bite-sized chunks and add these to the stew, together with the parsley. Mince the other clove of garlic and add it to the stew.
  10. Turn up the heat and reduce the sauce - it should be thick and intense. This should take about 15 minutes.
  11. Discard the parsley before serving it with some chopped fresh herbs.