Easy Goulash Recipe

Easy Goulash Recipe

In Hungary, goulash is called gulyas, which means herd of cattle, a traditionally thick stew that was made by cattle stock-man. Goulash has been around for centuries and is considered the national dish of Hungary,

Ingredients for goulash include beef from the chuck/shoulder. The shoulder is a well exercised muscle rich in collagen, which is converted to gelatin during a low simmering cooking temperature creating very tender, juicy, beef chunks. Beef from the hip is lean but for this recipe turns out dry and stringy.

Buying stew meat already cut at your local meat department is an option but often it may come from the hip and not the chuck. Your best choice is to purchase a steak or roast cut form the chuck, such as blade, cross rib or shoulder arm and cut it yourself into 1-1½ inch cubes.

Paprika is a must along with garlic and onions. Green and red bell peppers, potatoes and tomato paste really help to create a rich flavor. Chicken broth or homemade chicken stock is very tasty in this recipe giving the stew good body, we found this works better than using water or beef broth.

Ingredients

Easy Goulash Recipe

3 pounds chuck meat, trimmed & cut into 1-1½ inch cubes.

4-5 medium potatoes, peeled & cut into 1 inch cubes

5-6 garlic cloves, minced

4-5 tablespoons sweet paprika

3-4 medium onions, chopped

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups chicken broth

¼ cup unbleached flour

2 bay leaves

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 large red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 large green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

¼ cup minced fresh parsley flakes

½ cup sour cream (optional)

salt & pepper to taste

Many recipe for goulash are called ground beef goulash or hamburger goulash but the traditional method for goulash uses beef chunks, so we wanted stay as close to the traditional method as possible with some minor adjustments.

Cooking Instructions
Easy Goulash Recipe

1. Season beef with salt and pepper to taste. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil on medium-high in a dutch oven or stock pot for 3-4 minutes until hot.

Add the meat and sear each side about 2 minutes per side until well browned. Make sure each cube of meat is not touching; you may have to brown the beef in 2 batches adding another tablespoon of oil for the second batch. Transfer beef to a plate.

2. Reduce to medium heat, add the remaining oil and stir scraping bottom of pot. Add onions and a pinch of salt and continue to stir scraping the bottom to loosen the browned bits. Stir onions about 5-6 minutes.

3. Add garlic and stir 1 minute. Add paprika and flour, stir for another minute. Add chicken broth, continue stirring and scraping bottom. Stir in tomato paste, bay leaves, marjoram and ½ teaspoon salt.

4. Add the browned beef, bring to a simmer but do not boil . Cover pot with lid and place pot into a 300 degree pre-heated oven for 1 hour.

5. Remove pot from oven, add potatoes, red and green peppers, cover and return to the oven for 1 hour.

6. Remove pot from oven. Put sour cream in a bowl, stir in about ½ cup of hot stew liquid and stir sour cream mixture back into goulash. This will help to prevent the sour cream from curdling.

Stir in parsley and season with slat and pepper to taste and serve immediately. Goulash can be served over buttered egg noodles or rice.

 

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