quote:

Originally posted by 229DAK:
Try this. Visited Budapest once, and our local tour guide told us not to skimp on the onions or paprika. Cook the onions and paprika long and slow; that's the secret she told us. If you buy beef stock at the grocery store, watch the salt carefully.

Hungarian Goulash

1 stick unsalted butter (8T)
4 T olive oil
8 onions, sweet, roughly chopped
8 cloves garlic, minced
4 # beef for stew (or chuck roast, in ½” cubes)
1 T caraway seeds, lightly crushed
½ c sweet paprika
8 c beef stock
4 lg red potatoes, cut into ½“ chunks
4 red (and/or yellow) peppers, stemmed & seeded, cut into ½“ pieces
4 med carrots, roll cut into ½“ pieces
8 tomatoes, diced w/liquid
1-2 bay leaves
Salt & pepper to taste
Seasoned flour (flour w/salt, pepper & some paprika)

Cut vegetables into roughly equal sized ½” pieces. Dredge beef cubes in seasoned flour; shake off excess. Heat 2 T olive oil in a lg heavy pan over med-hi heat. Brown beef cubes in small batches & remove to a bowl, adding olive oil as necessary [I would suggest deglazing this pan with a little of the beef stock and adding the fond to the onions with the browned beef cubes]. In a large pot on medium heat, melt butter & add onions, sauté w/the paprika for 20-30 min, making a soupy base. Add browned beef cubes, caraway seeds & garlic, cook for up to 40 min based on the toughness of the meat (one hour for stew meat). Add peppers & cook another 7-8 min. Add carrots, tomatoes, potatoes, beef broth, bay leaf, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, cover & simmer for one hour, checking meat for tenderness. Taste, and adjust the salt & pepper.