Sweet and spicy paprika adds great depth of flavor to this stew. photo © New German Cooking
I love this dish in late fall and winter. It is a great warming dish that is perfect for cold nights. I’ve been eating this for as long as I can remember. The best I’ve ever had was at a German restaurant near where I grew up called the Alpenhof.
The restaurant has since closed but the memory of this soup will remain with me forever. Whenever we ate there my family always started with the Gulasch. This is my version of this spicy beef stew. Serve it over some buckwheat spätzle for an entrée sized portion. If you’re having more people, then simply double the recipe.
Goulash can trace its history back to Hungary. The liberal use of paprika, both sweet and hot, exemplifies this. Sweet, spicy, and comforting. These are some of the makings of comfort food to many. This soup is readily available throughout Germany and Austria. Our version is pretty bold and has a nice little kick to it. I really like the flavor of paprika in this dish so I put a lot in here. Unfortunately paprika got buried in cabinets only to be revived for garnishing deviled eggs and sometimes a broiled fish or chicken. Such a shame because it has a distinct flavor and can really boost an otherwise mediocre beef stew. You’re going to want to toss out that old stuff or just reserve it for your deviled eggs, but even a good paprika can do wonders to a deviled egg, especially a nice smoky paprika.
Paprika will become stale if it sits around too long so you want to make sure it’s fresh. It will make a huge difference in the flavor of your goulash. Try this out next time you’re stuck indoors because of a blizzard or just don’t want to leave the warmth of your home.
Hungarian Goulash
SERVES FOUR 1 pound of stewing beef, or chuck roast cut into one inch cubes ½ red pepper, diced 1 small onion, diced 1 clove garlic, minced ¼ cup all purpose flour ¼ cup butter 1 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil 2 cups red wine 2 cups water 1 tablespoon of Maggi seasoning or soy sauce if you can’t find Maggi 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 tablespoon kosher salt ¼ cup regular paprika 1 teaspoon hot paprika 1 teaspoon dried marjoram or oregano 2 small Yukon gold potatoes, skin left on and diced
Use a medium sized Dutch oven for this. It’s best to have something with a lid so that the liquid doesn’t evaporate too fast. Turn the heat on to medium high and let the pan become hot. Add the oil and the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the beef cubes. Add the salt and pepper. Brown the beef cubes all over, making sure you get a nice even brown. Don’t worry if the bottom of the pan is getting brown. You want that! That will only add flavor to the goulash. Once all of the meat is browned add the peppers, onions, and garlic. Continue to cook until the peppers and onions are softened. Next, add the flour, both types of paprika, marjoram, and stir well incorporating all of the ingredients. It will look somewhat dry and pasty. Now add the red wine, water, and Maggi. Mix well so that everything is incorporated and there are no lumps. Once everything is mixed well, turn the heat down to low and put a lid on it. Stir every so often and set a timer. Set it for one hour. After this time you can check to see if the meat is tender before you add the potatoes. If you add the potatoes too early they will just fall apart. After one hour, check for tenderness by removing a piece of meat. Try to cut it with a fork. If it comes apart easily with the fork then you are ready for the potatoes. If not, set the timer again for another 30 minutes. After about an hour and a half total the goulash should be ready for the potatoes. If the meat is tender, add the potatoes and cook for another 20 minutes on low heat or until the potatoes are done. Check for seasoning, add salt and pepper if necessary and serve immediately.
Spicy and rich, this bowl is sure to warm you up in the winter. photo © New German Cooking
