Recipe: Goulash Basic Recipe

Goulash Basic Recipe:
Onion & Paprika

1 large cooking onion, minced
1-2 diced green or sweet yellow peppers (optional)
2 tbsp. cooking fat (30 ml)
1 lb. boneless meat or 2 lbs. With bones (500 g-1kg)
2 tsp. paprika (10 ml)
1/8 tsp. cayenne or chilli (optional) (0.5 ml)
1/2 tsp. salt (2 ml)

Boneless meat is cubed quite small. Meat with bones is cut as small as possible. Melt fat, add onions and sauté on low heat until onion becomes transparent. Remove from heat, add paprika, mix well and add meat and salt. Coat the meat thoroughly with the onion-paprika mixture and simmer covered until meat is tender. The meat juices generally are adequate; however, if necessary, you can add a little water or stock to keep it from burning. The slower the cooking the better the flavor; thus this dish lends itself to crock-pot cooking very well.

For large gatherings you can prepare the onion on the stove in a suitable quantity, then pour it over the meat in a large roasting pan and let it cook covered at 250 degrees F. (120 degrees C.) about 1 hour per lb. (500g) of meat or over a slow fire on the barbeque. This will leave you free to enjoy your guests and socialize.

Slightly undercooked goulash freezes well. It is an ideal hot meal for camping or backpacking. Frozen in a coffee can, it's packed easily and can be reheated on a camp stove in minutes, to provide a hot nutritious meal for the weary hiker.

The cheaper, less tender cuts of meat are generally preferred for this dish because they are more flavorful. Boneless meat is cubed quite small.

Variations:

Pork - Sertés Pörkölt—Lean stewing pork, shoulder cuts or pork steaks are suitable.

Beef— Marha Pörkölt—Chuck, round or stewing beef ar the cuts of choice.

Veal— Borju Pörkölt—Stewing veal, ribs, or even shank make an excellent meal.

Chicken—Paprikás Csirke—Use a young fryer cut up or buy the parts your family prefers. Prepare as above, add 1/2 cup (125 ml) of fresh sour cream before serving.

Lamb - Bárány Pörkölt—Lean stewing lamb, shoulder or ribs make a delicious dish from young spring lamb.

Rabbit & Hare - Nyúl Paprikás—Domestic rabbit is prepared like chicken. The use of sour cream is optional. Wild rabbit should be soaked at least 72 hours, refigerated in a mixture of 1/2 cup (125 ml) vinegar in 4 cups (1 L) of water. Change the soaking solution at least three times to remove much of the wild taste. Rinse, drain and use in the above recipe. This is highly recommended to all hunters!

Venison - Vad Pörkölt—Prepare as beef. The rich flavor of the lean venison is perfect for pörkölt — a most enjoyable way to cook the tougher parts of wild meats.

Buy the Book

Recipe from:
Eva's Hungarian Kitchen
By Eva Kende
Paperworks Press, Ltd.
Recipes reprinted by permission.

Transylvanian Dinner: Going for Goulash

Recipes

Note: These recipes are reprinted by permission from Eva's Hungarian Kitchen, by Eva Kende—an inspiring wirebound collection of 300 authentic Hungarian recipes. The easy to follow recipes are titled in both English and Hungarian, and the background on the Magyars and their traditional foods is charming, informative and well done. Eva's Hungarian Kitchen differs from other Hungarian cookbooks in that the focus is on home-cooking, not on fancy stylized recipes of a chef, and strives to include all the traditional foods, not just the ones "fit for company."

Halloween Recipes, Features and Links

Kate's Global Kitchen for October, 2000:

10/07/00     Homework Helpers & Theme Dinners
10/14/00     A Transylvanian Dinner: Going for Goulash
10/21/00     Smashing Pumpkins...and Other Culinary Acts
10/28/00     The Edible Zombie: A Haunting Halloween Meal