cold weather comfort food: hungarian goulash

How To Make cold weather comfort food: hungarian goulash

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  1

  PREP/PREPARE
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  2

  Gather your ingredients.
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  3

  Add the flour to a small bowl, and season with a bit of salt and pepper.
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  4

  Take 1/3 of the beef, spread it out, and dust with the flour.
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  5

  Chef’s Tip: I dust by putting the flour into a fine-mesh strainer.
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  6

  Chef's Note: In Hungary you will typically be served this as a soup, in a bowl, with a spoon. I wanted mine to have a bit more texture, so I added the flour. It's still a soup, but just with a bit more body.
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  7

  Add 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil to a large cast iron pot, or Dutch oven, and set the heat to medium high.
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  8

  Add 1/3 of the flour-dusted beef to the pot
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  9

  Brown on all sides, 5 to 7 minutes. It does not have to be cooked through... just slightly browned.
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  10

  Remove from the pot and reserve.
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  11

  Chef's Note: Repeat for batches 2 and 3 of the beef (dust, oil, sauté).
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  12

  Remove and reserve with the other beef.
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  13

  Add the final 2 tablespoons of grapeseed oil to the pot, and lower the heat to medium.
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  14

  Add the onions.
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  15

  Cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
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  16

  Chef's Note: As the onions begin to release their moisture, use a wooden spoon to scrape up all those tasty fonds that developed on the bottom of the pan while cooking the beef.
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  17

  Add the garlic and caraway seeds, and stir until the garlic becomes fragrant, about 1 minute.
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  18

  Add the paprika to the onions.
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  19

  Stir, for an additional minute, and no more.
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  20

  Chef’s Tip: Never allow the paprika to scorch or burn… It will taste bitter if you do.
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  21

  Chef's Note: To make this work, you need to get Hungarian Sweet Paprika... DO NOT use smoked paprika... it's too strong and will throw the dish way off.
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  22

  Add the apple cider vinegar, and the tomato sauce to the pot.
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  23

  Stir for an additional 2 minutes.
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  24

  Add the meat, and any juices back into the pot.
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  25

  Stir to combine.
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  26

  Add the cayenne pepper, and cumin, and then stir to combine.
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  27

  Place a rack in the middle position, and preheat the oven to 250f (120c).
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  28

  Add the beef stock, and bring up to a simmer. Allow the liquid to simmer for 5 minutes.
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  29

  While the liquid is simmering, season and taste with some salt, and pepper.
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  30

  Chef’s Note: If you want it a bit hotter, add more cayenne.
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  31

  Place the covered pot in the oven, for 90 minutes, or until the meat is tender.
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  32

  Add the carrots, and potatoes, and then place back into the oven for an additional hour.
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  33

  PLATE/PRESENT
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  34

  Serve it in a nice bowl with some good crusty bread. Enjoy.
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  35

  Chef's Note: Traditional Hungarian Goulash is not served with egg noodles, or sour cream... That's the Americanized version.
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  36

  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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