Goulash is a dish from Hungary, although it is not called that there. There it is called pörkölt (or paprikás, if sour cream is added).
In the rest of the world, it is known as goulash. In Hungary, however, “gulyás” is more of a soup, which can also contain ingredients other than meat.
That should clarify all the essentials.
Admittedly, this old classic is not for vegetarians. However, we will at some point present a variation from Austria that also works very well without meat.
Cooking a buttery tender goulash is fascinatingly simple. There are, of course, countless recipes, many of which are great. Ours is subtle in flavor, yet has a lot of depth and, above all, works every time – guaranteed!
You only need a few ingredients:

The key ingredients are meat (in our case: beef) and onions. The ideal piece of meat when choosing beef is the calf, but you can also use other cuts that are suitable for stews. It is important that it is rather long-fibered and rich in connective tissue – the meat that would quickly become tough when pan-fried.
The basic rule for this recipe is simple: the ratio of the weight of meat and onions is 1:1. You cook 1 kg of meat for four people – then also use 1 kg of onions.
Cut the meat into cubes of about 3 cm in size. Or you can ask your trusted butcher to do this for you.
Then it’s time for the onions. Cut off the top and then cut in half.

This technique makes it very easy to peel off the skin.

Please note: You must now cut the onion halves into strips across the grain – not lengthwise! The sauce is made from the onions, which is why we need so many of them. However, we want some of the onions to remain chunky. If you cut them crosswise, they will have a completely different texture.

Once this is done, heat some neutral-flavored oil in as large a casserole or roasting pan as possible and fry the meat cubes on all sides over a fairly high heat until they are nicely browned.
On our stove, we do this at level 8 out of 10, as we don’t want to cook the meat, but rather develop roasting flavors.
To achieve this, we do not overcrowd our pan. The bottom should just be covered so that you can keep control and sear everything evenly. This doesn’t take long on a high heat.

Then lift the meat out of the pot and place it in a deeper container. There will still be juices coming out, which we don’t want to lose.

Now add the onions to the pot and fry them over a medium-high heat (we: 6 out of 10) for about 8 – 10 minutes. The onions should not brown, but develop their flavor. Halfway through, you can sprinkle some powdered sugar over them to create even more caramelization and give the sauce a deeper color later on.

When the onions are nicely translucent and fragrant, create some space at the bottom of the pot and fry tomato puree until it browns slightly and loses its acidity. Then mix it thoroughly with the onions.

Now the meat goes back into the pot with all the juices that have oozed out in the meantime.

Now add chicken stock, 1 liter per 1 kg of meat. Then season with bay leaves.

Put the lid on, but do not close the pot completely. The liquid needs to be able to reduce. This is easily done by placing a wooden spoon on the edge of the pot so that a gap remains open.
Now watch the cooking process for a few minutes and adjust the temperature so that slight bubbles rise but the whole thing does not boil (for us: 2 – 3 out of 10). This is the secret of braising. If you cook the meat, it will become hard and dry. If you leave it below the boiling point, it will become so soft that you can eat it with a spoon.
And that’s exactly what you do now, for at least four hours. Free time in which your food becomes delicious all by itself.
Check after three hours. If the sauce still seems too runny, remove the lid. Remember that you will then have to adjust the temperature upwards a little.
Now for the key spices that give the goulash its characteristic flavor:
Garlic cloves, caraway seeds (or powder, but seeds work better here) and dried marjoram are mixed with the zest of untreated lemon and then finely chopped thoroughly with a knife.

In addition, paprika powder (and, if you like, cayenne or piment d’espelette for a little heat) is now dissolved in a little water so that it does not form lumps. We recommend Spanish smoked paprika here.

When the meat has simmered for four hours, add these spices and stir everything well. Now leave it to simmer gently for at least half an hour so that the flavors can develop and combine.
Season the dish to taste with salt before serving. Very little goes better with this than simply bread.

Enjoy.
And may the taste be with you.
Ingredients (for 4 people):
1 kg beef (calf)
1 kg onions
2 tbsp tomato puree
1 l chicken stock
2 bay leaves
4 tbsp neutral oil
3 – 4 garlic cloves
2 tsp marjoram
2 tsp chopped caraway seeds (or 1.5 tsp ground caraway)
zest of 1/2 untreated lemon
2 tbsp paprika powder (smoked or sweet)
Optional: cayenne or piment d’espelette
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