Hungarian Goulash with Beef and Paprika
Goulash turns bitter because the paprika burns. Paprika is full of sugar and scorches in seconds over direct heat. The fix is to take the pot off the heat entirely, stir the paprika in, then return it to the heat with the liquid going in immediately to stop any scorching.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 130 min
- Total
- 155 min
- Calories
- 440
Photo: Hu Totya — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Goulash is a Hungarian stew that spread across all of Europe, and its rich red colour comes entirely from paprika. It is a dish of patience — two hours over low heat in exchange for beef that melts in the mouth.
Method
-
1
Brown the beef
Pat the beef cubes dry and brown them in hot oil in small batches until deep brown on all sides, then lift them out. A crowded pan steams instead of browning.
⏱ 18 min -
2
Caramelise the onions
In the same pot cook the onions over medium heat for 15 minutes until deep golden. That large quantity of onion melts into the sauce and gives it body.
⏱ 16 min -
3
Paprika off the heat
Take the pot completely off the heat, add the paprika, garlic and caraway and stir for 30 seconds. Paprika over direct heat burns and makes the whole dish bitter.
⏱ 3 min -
4
Liquid immediately
Return the beef, add the tomatoes and just enough water to barely cover, then stir and scrape the base. The liquid stops the paprika scorching instantly.
⏱ 6 min -
5
Slow cook
Cover and cook over the lowest heat for 90 minutes. Chuck is full of collagen that needs long, slow time to turn to gelatine and make the beef melt.
⏱ 92 min -
6
Vegetables at the end
Add the potatoes, peppers, bay leaves and salt and give it another 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and their starch thickens the sauce.
⏱ 32 min -
7
Rest
Leave it 15 minutes off the heat before serving. Goulash improves greatly on the second day as the flavours settle together.
⏱ 16 min
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Tips that actually matter
- Paprika off the heat — the single most important rule in Hungarian cooking.
- Sweet Hungarian paprika, not smoked — smoked is Spanish and changes the dish.
- Ninety minutes on the lowest heat — collagen needs time, there is no shortcut.
- A lot of onion — it melts down and thickens the sauce instead of flour.
People also ask
Why is my goulash bitter?
The paprika burned. It is full of sugar and scorches in seconds. Take the pot right off the heat, stir the paprika in for 30 seconds, then return it with the liquid going in immediately to stop any further scorching.
Which cut of beef is best?
Chuck or neck — cuts with collagen and connective tissue. The collagen turns to gelatine over long cooking, giving the beef its tenderness and the sauce its body. Fillet is entirely wrong here.
How is it different from an ordinary stew?
The large quantity of paprika (3 tablespoons) is the signature, plus the mass of onion that melts down and thickens the sauce instead of flour, and the caraway. Goulash is deep red with a distinctive sweet, smoky taste.
Cook mode
Hungarian Goulash with Beef and Paprika
-
1
Brown the beef
Pat the beef cubes dry and brown them in hot oil in small batches until deep brown on all sides, then lift them out. A crowded pan steams instead of browning.
-
2
Caramelise the onions
In the same pot cook the onions over medium heat for 15 minutes until deep golden. That large quantity of onion melts into the sauce and gives it body.
-
3
Paprika off the heat
Take the pot completely off the heat, add the paprika, garlic and caraway and stir for 30 seconds. Paprika over direct heat burns and makes the whole dish bitter.
-
4
Liquid immediately
Return the beef, add the tomatoes and just enough water to barely cover, then stir and scrape the base. The liquid stops the paprika scorching instantly.
-
5
Slow cook
Cover and cook over the lowest heat for 90 minutes. Chuck is full of collagen that needs long, slow time to turn to gelatine and make the beef melt.
-
6
Vegetables at the end
Add the potatoes, peppers, bay leaves and salt and give it another 30 minutes until the potatoes are cooked and their starch thickens the sauce.
-
7
Rest
Leave it 15 minutes off the heat before serving. Goulash improves greatly on the second day as the flavours settle together.
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