Goulash, or Gulasch in German, is a paprika-heavy beef stew (sometimes with venison or pork). It is my go-to meal when I have plenty of time to cook, it was the first “real” German meal I ever prepared for my fiancée, Ali, and it is my top choice whenever I need to provide food for a large group of people.
A Childhood Love-Hate Relationship
Goulash and I have a long history. When I was a young child, my mother or father would cook it using very fatty stew meat. It was always served with either spiral pasta, Spätzle, or rice—and never without apple sauce.
I had a love hate-relationship with it. I didn’t particularly like the texture of the fatty beef, but on the occasions when my parents bought nice, lean meat, the meal was like a dream.
The College Evolution my Goulash
When I first started college and began cooking for myself, I tried to make Goulash on my own. It was okay, but it was never as good as I remembered it. Over the years, I tried again and again. Through that process, I learned better cooking techniques: I discovered that red wine is non-negotiable for my palate, and I learned that you can simply never have enough paprika in a good Goulash.
Global Variations and Culture Shock
Over time, I also learned that not all Goulash is created equal. For instance, I discovered that in Hungary, Goulash is actually a quite thin soup, often containing potato cubes and served only with bread. The meal I refer to as “Goulash” is actually called Pörkölt over there.
However, my biggest culture shock came when I learned what “American Goulash” is. Macaroni with ground beef? That was quite a surprise! I haven’t tried it yet, but I bet it’s still delicious.
Writing Down my Goulash “Non-Recipe”
I never actually used a recipe to cook Goulash, so writing down “my” version for the first time and comparing it to the information available online was quite rewarding. It was interesting to see that my version has some unique characteristics, yet it doesn’t reinvent an already great meal.
I hope you enjoy my recipe. For the summer, I am planning to make a version of Hungarian Goulash while camping, so stay tuned!
Home-style German Goulash
Ingredients
- 1 to 1.5 lbs Stew beef cut into 1-inch cubes
- 3 tbsp Clarified butter or vegetable oil for high-heat searing
- 1 to 2 Medium yellow onions finely chopped
- 1 Red bell pepper finely diced
- 3 cloves Garlic minced
- 1 cup Dry red wine for deglazing
- 2 cups Beef broth
- 2 tbsp Tomato paste
- 3 tbsp Sweet Paprika powder use high quality for the best color!
- 1 tsp Chili powder or red pepper flakes adjust to your heat preference
- 1 to 2 Bay leaves
- 1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp Salt plus more to taste
Instructions
- The Sear: Heat the clarified butter in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat. Sear the beef in batches. Do not crowd the pan; you want a dark brown crust on the cubes, not grey steamed meat. Remove the meat and set aside.
- The Aromatics: In a second bigger pot, add the finely chopped onions and sauté with olive oil until they are translucent. Add the garlic and tomato paste, stirring for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Deglaze: Pour in the red wine. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pot to release the Fond. Let the wine reduce by about half.
- Build the Braise: Add the beef to the pot. Add the beef broth, diced red peppers, paprika, chili, black pepper, salt, and bay leaves.
- The Long Simmer: Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours. You know it’s ready when the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has naturally thickened into a dark, rich gravy.
- The Final Check: Taste the sauce. This is when I usually add a bit more chili powder if I want more kick. Remove the bay leaves.
- Serve: Ladle the Gulasch over your favorite side—Spätzle, bread dumplings (Knödel), or even rice. Top with a spoonful of cold sour cream and serve the apple sauce on the side.
Notes
If you liked my Goulash Recipe, you should also try my Sauerbraten!
My Side recommendations are Spätzle, Knödel, Pasta, Mashed Potatoes.
More Swabian Comfort Food: Schnitzel – Sauerbraten – Kaesefuesse – Kartoffelsalat
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