Description
Hungarian Goulash emerges as a hearty comfort dish from Central European culinary traditions. Robust beef, paprika-rich sauce, and tender vegetables combine in a soul-warming stew that invites you to savor authentic Hungarian flavors with each comforting spoonful.
Ingredients
Scale
Meats:
- 3 pounds (1.36 kilograms) beef stew meat, cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
Vegetables and Aromatics:
- 3 onions, sliced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
Seasonings and Liquids:
- 2 tablespoons Hungarian sweet paprika
- 3 teaspoons salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- ⅓ cup (79 milliliters) vegetable oil
- 1 ½ cups (355 milliliters) water
- 1 (6 ounce) (170 grams) can tomato paste
Instructions
- Prepare the ingredients with precision: trim beef stew meat into uniform 1 1/2 inch (3.8 centimeters) cubes and slice onions into thin, even rings.
- Select a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and warm the vegetable oil over medium heat until it shimmers with a gentle radiance.
- Carefully introduce sliced onions to the hot oil, allowing them to soften and become translucent, gently stirring every few minutes for 5-8 minutes.
- Sprinkle Hungarian sweet paprika, salt, and ground black pepper over the onions, creating a fragrant spice layer. Stir continuously for one minute to awaken the aromatics.
- Gently introduce the beef cubes to the seasoned onion mixture, positioning them to maximize surface contact for even browning. Rotate and stir periodically to achieve a rich, caramelized exterior.
- Slowly pour water into the pot, then whisk in tomato paste until completely integrated. Mince fresh garlic and fold into the liquid, creating a robust base for the goulash.
- Elevate the temperature momentarily to trigger a rolling boil, then immediately reduce heat to a gentle simmer. Cover the pot and let the ingredients meld together, stirring occasionally and monitoring liquid levels to prevent scorching.
- After 1 1/2 to 2 hours, when the beef becomes fork-tender and the sauce reaches a luxurious consistency, perform a final seasoning adjustment, potentially adding a touch more salt to enhance the flavor profile.
Notes
- Release paprika’s rich flavor by heating it briefly with onions and oil before adding beef, preventing bitterness from burning.
- Methodically brown beef in batches to develop deep, complex flavors through the Maillard reaction, creating a robust foundation for the goulash.
- Allow gentle simmering to transform tough beef cuts into meltingly tender meat while harmonizing spices and ingredients.
- Monitor liquid levels throughout cooking, maintaining a hearty stew consistency that’s thick but not dry, adding water sparingly if needed.
- Fine-tune seasoning at the end by tasting and making subtle adjustments with salt or additional paprika to elevate the final dish.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6
- Calories: 552 kcal
- Sugar: 4 g
- Sodium: 735 mg
- Fat: 37 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 24 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 31 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg