Hungarian Goulasch

Well OK! It's Hungarian! But Hungary was part of the Austrian empire and my Grandmother's family lived in Hungary for a while when my Great Grandfather worked in a glass factory there. Anyway, this was a staple in my home and even my dad had an opinion on how this should be cooked. I have experimented with this over the years and have finally gotten it to a point where I am happy with it and my family love it too.

Hungarian Goulasch

2kg gravy beef or chuck steak, (or pork steak, even veal works well, or a combination)
1 1/2 - 2kg onions (YES! the more onions the better!)
garlic (as much as you want)
2T white vinegar
1T carraway seeds
3 - 4 T sweet paprika (you can also add the hot variety if you wish)
3 - 4 beef stock cubes
salt to taste
3 - 4 T cornflour stirred into 1 cup cold water
2T oil
Hot water (about 2 litres)

1. Cut meat into 2 -3 cm cubes (be rough, no need to measure).
2. Peel and finely chop the onions and garlic.
3. Fry in oil until onions are soft, add carraway seeds.
4. Add meat to the onions and fry until browned.
5. Add the paprika, mix and fry a little.
6. Add enough water to cover the meat and stir thoroughly.
7. Add vinegar and stock cubes, stir.
8. Lower the heat to a simmer, cover and leave to cook for at least 1 1/2 to 2 hours (the longer, the more tender the meat will be). Check and stir occasionally, adding more water to avoid drying out.
9. When cooked to your liking, add salt to taste.
10. Add the combined cornflour and water and stir while bringing back to the boil for a minute. This will thicken the sauce. Add more water if necessary, as the sauce should be plentiful and thick.
11. Serve with spätsli (Austrian style) or your preference of boiled potatoes, gnocci, or macaroni.



Slideshow of Goulasch with Spätsli