Hungarian · Free recipe
Paprika Beef Goulash
A generous amount of sweet Hungarian paprika blooms in the fat from slowly softened onions, turning beef chuck, peppers, and potatoes a deep rust red as they braise. Caraway and a little marjoram give this brothy stew its unmistakably rustic character.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 2 hr 30 min
- Total
- 2 hr 55 min
- Serves
- 6
- Level
- Medium
Method
-
Heat the lard in a large Dutch oven over medium heat and cook the onions with a pinch of salt for 15 minutes, stirring often, until soft and golden.
-
Season the beef with salt and pepper, add it to the pot, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring, until the meat loses its raw color on all sides.
-
Take the pot off the heat and stir in the garlic, both paprikas, caraway, and marjoram so the spices bloom in the fat without scorching.
-
Return the pot to the heat, stir in the tomato paste, and add the broth. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer gently over low heat for 1 1/2 hours, until the beef is nearly tender.
-
Add the bell peppers and potatoes, and simmer uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through and the broth has thickened slightly.
-
Season with salt and pepper and let the goulash rest for 10 minutes before serving with crusty bread.
Zest note from the test kitchen
Always add the paprika off the heat; it burns in seconds in hot fat and turns bitter, which is the most common way to ruin a pot of goulash.
