Traditional Hungarian Beef Goulash

Beef chunks that pull apart with a fork, coated in a dark red, velvety sauce. The powerful aroma of toasted paprika and caraway fills the kitchen as soon as the pot is opened.

• Prep time: 25 min
• Cook time: 150 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 732
• Protein: 47 g
• Carbs: 39 g
• Fat: 45 g

Ingredients

• 800 g Beef chuck ( cut into 3cm cubes )
• 3 piece Yellow onion ( finely sliced )
• 30 g Duck fat ( for cooking )
• 2 piece Garlic ( minced )
• 2 tbsp Sweet paprika ( powdered )
• 1 tsp Caraway seed ( whole )
• 200 ml Red wine
• 2 piece Red bell pepper ( sliced into strips )
• 500 g Potato ( large cubes )
• 1 pinch Gray sea salt
• 1 pinch Black pepper ground
• 500 ml Beef stock
• 1 tbsp Tomato paste

Instructions

1. Sear the meat

   Heat duck fat in a cast-iron pot. Sear the beef cubes over high heat until a brown crust forms on all sides. Remove the meat.

2. Sauté the onions

   Lower the heat. Add sliced onions to the cooking fat. Let them sweat gently until translucent and lightly golden.

3. Toast the spices

   Add pressed garlic, paprika, and caraway. Stir for 1 minute to release aromas without burning the paprika, which would make it bitter.

4. Deglaze and simmer

   Return meat to the pot. Deglaze with red wine, scraping the brown bits from the bottom. Add beef broth and tomato paste. Cover and simmer over very low heat.

5. Add vegetables

   Stir in bell pepper strips and potatoes. Continue cooking until vegetables are tender and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.

Chef's tips

• Don't skip searing the beef: that's where the flavor is built.
• If the sauce reduces too fast, add a bit of hot water along the way.
• Goulash is even better reheated the next day when flavors have fully infused.

Storage

Keeps for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Freezes very well.