Makes four servings
In lieu of homemade beef stock, add one heaping tablespoon of beef boulion paste to 250 ml of hot water, stir to mix. Then add that to 750 ml of cold water with some ice cubes. Stir, then add two envelopes of powdered gelatin and set aside until needed.
Set oven to 160 C (325 F.)
If not using homemade broth, make the substitute as described in the note above.
Pat meat dry. Slice into 1.5 cm thick steaks. Generously salt and pepper both sides. Sear in the bottom of a dutch oven or heavy body pan over medium heat with a generous dolop of olive oil, bacon fat, or lard. Don’t crowd the pan, cook one at a time if needed.
Move each seared steak aside to rest, then cut into 1.5 cm cubes. You want small bites of meat for this dish.
Reduce heat to medium-low.
Add the sliced onions to the pan and cook until soft and browned. Add more fat to pan if needed.
Add the red peppers and garlic. Cook until peppers are soft, and stir frequently to keep garlic from burning.
Add the three paprikas, the pepper paste, and the tomato paste and cook until fragrant.
Add the preserved peppers and stir.
Add the crushed tomatoes, stir to mix.
Add the cubed beef.
Add the broth, stir.
Raise heat to medium-high and bring to simmer.
Add bay leaf.
Transfer pot to bottom rack of oven and cover with a lid set ajar.
Braise for 90 minutes, checking liquid levels.
Serve with spatzel, egg noodles, roast or mashed potatoes.
Garnish with sour cream, yogurt, or creme fresch.
I’ve followed a Berlin street food channel and a recent video showed off a vendor at a Christmas Market making and selling a Hungarian Goulash. The goulash reminded me of a Texas chile con carne, thicker than a stew.
Germans colonized what we call Central Texas in the mid 19th century, and those people probably brought their recipies for goulash because of Hungarian influences on their foods.
This recipie goes for a goulash con carne vibe.
Emma H, January 2024