Hungarian Beef Goulash

©iStockphoto.com / Magdalena Kucova

Goulash is a Hungarian dish using beef and paprika as its main ingredients. In fact, it’s also sometimes called Paprikash. Goulash comes from a word that means cattle stockman in Hungarian and this stew will really give a great flavor to the beef. This recipe is very easy to prepare and will cook for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours in the oven or a crock-pot.

It’s very savory and can easily become a favorite for you and your family. It can safely be called a comfort food.

This recipe serves about 2-3 people. I suggest that you make more and that you freeze the leftovers. Prepared stews are always good to have around for the times when cooking is not an option.

Ingredients

• Cooking oil (lard, tallow, or butter are three good choices)
• 1/2 Lb stewing beef, cut in cubes (choose grass-fed beef);
• 2 medium onions, sliced;
• 1 large garlic clove, crushed and minced;
• 1 bell pepper, sliced;
• 2 tbsp paprika (this can be adjusted to taste, don’t be scared to use a lot of it);
• 2 tsp caraway seeds;
• 1 can chopped tomatoes (fresh tomatoes is even better);
• 1 1/2 cups of bone stock (beef stock is best, but anything will do);
• Chopped parsley for garnishing.

Technique

1. Preheat your oven to 350 F. You can also use a crock-pot, on low temperature.
2. Brown the beef cubes in a pot with the cooking oil.
3. Put the beef aside and now brown and soften the onions. Add the garlic and bell pepper and cook to soften about 5 minutes on medium heat.
4. Put back the beef to the pot and add the spices, tomatoes and stock.
5. Put a lit on the pot and transfer to the hot oven or put the preparation in your crok-pot.
6. Let it cook for about 2 hours to 2 1/2 hours, until the beef is fork tender.
7. Enjoy and thank mother nature for the grass-fed beef!

Simple and bold ingredients will hopefully make this recipe a classic in your kitchen. The secret is to use the best beef, the best paprika and the best tomatoes. Trust me, it makes all the difference in the world.