Food Network Goulash

BEEF GOULASH

Steps:

• Place a large heavy pot over medium heat and add the bacon. Fry for about 5 minutes until crisp and remove to a paper towel and reserve. Add the beef to the hot bacon fat and brown it evenly on all sides, turning with tongs; season generously with salt and pepper. While the beef is searing, sprinkle the flour evenly in the pot and continue to stir to dissolve any clumps. Add a little oil if necessary to keep the meat from sticking to the bottom of the pot.
• Toss in the onions, garlic, roasted peppers, paprika, and caraway; cook and stir for 2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in the vinegar, tomatoes, and broth. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook for 1 hour, covered, stirring occasionally.
• Add the potatoes. Crumble the reserved bacon into the stew and continue to simmer for 30 minutes, partially covered, until the potatoes are tender. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir the sour cream into the goulash just before serving. Garnish with the chopped parsley.

TRADITIONAL GERMAN GOULASH

Steps:

• Heat 1/2 tablespoon of the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden and caramelized, 10 to 12 minutes.
• Heat the remaining 2 1/2 tablespoons canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat and saute the stewing meat until nicely browned. Add the caramelized onions, garlic and caraway seeds. Cook for 1 minute, and then add the paprika, Montreal steak seasoning, onion powder, cayenne powder, salt and pepper. Add the green and red peppers, stir and saute until fragrant, about 2 more minutes.
• Add the tomato puree and tomato paste and stir. Add the vegetable broth and 1/2 cup water, plus more if needed, and deglaze the Dutch oven, making sure to loosen anything stuck to the bottom of the pot.
• Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is very tender, about 90 minutes. Serve over Spaetzle, egg noodles or dumplings.

WOLFGANG'S BEEF GOULASH

Steps:

• In a large saute pan, heat the olive oil and saute the onions and sugar until caramelized. Add the garlic and caraway seed. Cook for 1 minute. Add the sweet and sharp paprika, marjoram, thyme, and bay leaf. Saute another minute, until fragrant. Add the tomato paste. Deglaze with the vinegar and the stock and add the pieces of beef shank, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook until very tender, about 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
• Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve with Spaetzle on the side.
• In a small bowl, beat together the egg yolks, egg and milk. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add the egg mixture to the flour mixture and mix with hand until well blended. Do not overmix at this stage. Cover the bowl and refrigerate. Allow the batter to rest for at least 1 hour.
• Bring salted water to a boil. Place a perforated hotel pan on top of the pot. Place the batter on the pan and force through the holes to form spaetzle. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes, or until al dente. Transfer cooked spaetzle to a bowl of ice water to shock. When cool to the touch, drain well. Stir in half the oil. (At this point you can cover and refrigerate up to 2 days).
• Over high heat, place a large saute pan until it gets very hot. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of oil and the boiled spaetzle. Saute until golden. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Finish with butter and sprinkle with parsley.

HUNGARIAN GOULASH

Steps:

• In a cold, heavy 6 to 8-quart stewing pot, fry bacon over low-medium heat until fat is rendered, and then discard bacon slice.
• Saute onions in the bacon fat for a few minutes, do not allow the onions to brown. If bacon does not provide enough fat, add a little olive oil to prevent the onions from sticking. When onions become glossy, add the beef, sauteing with the onions for about 10 minutes, covered, until the meat is browned.
• Meanwhile, chop and crush the garlic with the caraway seeds; add to meat and onions. Remove pot from heat. Stir in paprika rapidly with a wooden spoon. Immediately after paprika is absorbed, add the warm water. The water should just cover the meat, leaving room for potatoes.
• Add beef bouillon cubes. Cover pot and cook over low heat for about 1 hour.
• While stew is braising, prepare the tomatoes by cutting into 1-inch pieces. Core green peppers and cut into strips. After 1 hour of braising, add the tomatoes and green pepper. Add a little more water, if necessary and a little more salt if you need it. Simmer slowly for another 30 minutes.
• Peel potatoes and cut into bite-sized cubes and set aside in a bowl of water. Add potatoes, and cook another 30 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender and the goulash is done.
• Once goulash is finished, dissolve sour cream and a little of the goulash sauce in a cup. Add to goulash, it should give a creamy consistency. Serve goulash with spaetzle and Cucumber Salad on the side, adding an extra dollop of sour cream to each plate.
• Peel and slice cucumbers very thinly. The side of a metal grater with the wide slots works best here, or you can use a mandoline. Place cucumbers in a flat dish and sprinkle throughout with salt, making sure that all the slices are salted. Leave to rest for 30 minutes. The salt will draw the moisture out of the cucumbers. Cut the onion into paper-thin slices and place in a container. Once the cucumbers have released water, use your hands to squeeze out the excess water and add to the onions. The cucumbers are supposed to be limp, but still crisp.
• In a measuring cup mix vinegar, water, sugar and paprika to create a vinaigrette. Pour over the cucumbers and onions and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 1/2 hours.
• Serve with a sprinkle of dill and a little dollop of sour cream if desired.

QUICK BEEF GOULASH WITH EGG NOODLES

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Slice the steaks as thinly as possible (about 1/8 inch) on an angle, trimming off any large pockets of fat. Season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced steak, spreading it out in a single layer. Increase the heat to high and cook, undisturbed, until browned on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the steak and any juices to a bowl.
• Add 2 tablespoons of the remaining butter to the skillet and reduce the heat to medium high. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften and brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the bell peppers, paprika, caraway seeds, a big pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring, until the spices are toasted, about 1 minute. Return the steak to the skillet along with the tomatoes, beef broth and 1 teaspoon salt. Cover and bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook, partially covered, until the steak is tender, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, cook the egg noodles in the boiling water as the label directs. Drain and return the noodles to the pot; stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon butter. Season with salt. Divide the noodles and stew among bowls. Top with the parsley and sour cream.

GOULASH

Steps:

• Spread the beef out on a baking sheet and season generously with salt and pepper. Dredge the beef in the flour. Transfer the beef to a fine mesh strainer and shake off any excess flour.
• Heat a large Dutch oven with a tight-fitting lid over high heat. Pour in enough oil to reach about 1/3 of an inch up the sides. Add half of the beef and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until well-browned, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beef to a plate, leaving the oil in the Dutch oven. Repeat with the remaining beef. Drain the oil and wipe out the pan.
• Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F. Return the Dutch oven to medium-high heat, and add the remaining 3 tablespoons oil. Saute the onion, stirring, until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, paprika, and caraway and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and simmer, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes more. Add the beef and water, cover, and bring to a boil. Using a piece of kitchen twine, tie together the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf and add to the pot. Braise in the oven, covered, until the beef is tender, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes. Skim the fat from the surface of cooking liquid with a ladle. Bring to a simmer, uncovered, on top of the stove, stirring occasionally, until liquid has thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced to a sauce-like consistency and the beef is very tender, about 20 minutes more. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon salt and season with pepper to taste. Remove and discard the herb bundle.
• Divide among bowls and serve with Buttered Egg Noodles with Parsley, rice, or sauerkraut. Pass sour cream at the table.
• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Add the noodles and cook until al dente, tender but not mushy.
• Meanwhile, ladle 1/4 cup of the noodle cooking water into a medium skillet. Set the skillet over low heat and, while whisking constantly, gradually add the butter, piece by piece, (let each piece of butter melt into the sauce before adding the next bit) until a smooth sauce has formed. Stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the lemon zest if desired.
• Drain the noodles in a colander in the sink and leave whatever water clings to them--do not rinse. Transfer the noodles to a large bowl, add the sauce, and toss until well-coated. Serve.
• Yield: about 4 to 6 side dish servings

PRAZDROJ GOULASH

Steps:

• In a large pot heat up the oil, add the onions and stir fry until golden brown. Add the caraway seeds just before the onions are finished cooking. Add the cubed beef to the pot and brown briefly. Stir in the paprika, tomato puree, black pepper, beer. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot and let the goulash simmer for 45 minutes or until the meat is done, stirring occasionally. After the meat has cooked, add the flour to thicken the goulash. Stir in the salt, garlic and marjoram. Continue to simmer over low heat for another few minutes.
• To Plate: Garnish the goulash with a hard boiled egg cut into quarters, pimento or sliced red pepper, sliced raw onion and a small leaf of Boston lettuce.

AMERICAN GOULASH

Steps:

• Cook macaroni per box instructions.
• Brown beef and add onion until soft.
• Combine salt, pepper, tomatoes and soup and mix well.
• Put mixture in a 2-quart baking dish.
• Melt butter and mix with bread crumbs then sprinkle on top of mixture in baking dish.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

VINTAGE HAMBURGER GOULASH

Steps:

• Saute beef, 1/2 tsp of red pepper flakes and 2 onions in large frying pan. Drain excess fat. Lots of onions makes this good.
• Meanwhile, in another pan cook macaroni in boiling, salted water until tender. Set aside until almost ready to serve.
• When beef and onions are finished cooking, add the canned, crushed tomatores and approximately 1/2 cup water; also add garlic salt, pepper, chili powder and mix well.
• Simmer for about 20 minutes; then add cooked macaroni noodles and mix well when ready to serve. If you add the macaroni noodles too soon, they may over cook and get mushy.

CROCK POT GOULASH

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain.
• Brown meat. Drain.
• Combine meat, pasta, spaghetti sauce, onion powder and mushrooms(if using) in crock pot. Mix well.
• Cover. Cook on High for 1 hour.
• Reduce heat to Low for 30 minutes.
• Serve with Parmesan cheese.

CLASSIC GOULASH

Steps:

• Cook and stir the ground beef in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, breaking the meat up as it cooks, until the meat is no longer pink and has started to brown, about 10 minutes. Skim off excess fat, and stir in the onions and garlic. Cook and stir the meat mixture until the onions are translucent, about 10 more minutes.
• Stir water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, soy sauce, Italian seasoning, bay leaves, and seasoned salt into the meat mixture and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir macaroni into the mixture, cover, and simmer over low heat until the pasta is tender, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, discard bay leaves, and serve.

FAMILY GOULASH

Steps:

• Brown beef, onion, bouillon, salt and pepper in a large frying pan. Drain well.
• Add stewed tomatoes, soup, tomato paste and ketchup.
• Simmer 5 minutes.
• Add macaroni, stir and pour into a 2 quart casserole.
• Bake covered in 350* oven for 25-30 minutes.
• Uncover, place cheese on top and bake 5 more minutes or until cheese is melted.
• TIP: I freeze the leftover soup and tomato paste in a ziplock bag for my next batch of goulash.

MACARONI GOULASH

Steps:

• Saute green pepper and onions in margarine or oil.
• Add ground beef, salt and black pepper.
• Cook until browned.
• Add this to tomatoes, tomato sauce and macaroni.
• Simmer on low heat about 15 minutes.
• Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.
• Some water can be added if needed.

ONE POT GOULASH

Steps:

• Boil 6 cups salted water (add a little oil to the water so the macaroni won't boil over)Add macaroni (stir to separate) let boil for 6 to 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.
• Return pot to stove heat oil and add green pepper and onion - saute until tender.
• Add hamburger, salt, pepper and chili powder to onions/pepper mixture and cook until no longer pink.
• Add tomatoes and macaroni to meat mixture and stir well. Add tomato juice to not quite cover all. (More or less tomato juice can be added depending on how soupy you like it. The macaroni soaks up alot of the juice.)
• Simmer for 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

AMERICAN GOULASH

Steps:

• Brown ground beef, onion and pepper.
• Season with garlic salt and pepper.
• Add tomatoes and tomato sauce.
• Simmer 10 minutes while macaroni is cooking.
• Boil macaroni al dente, drain, rinse.
• Return macaroni to pot, add beef and tomato mixture.
• Serve in bowls with shredded cheese.
• Even better left over and reheated (add a little water or tomato juice when reheating, if too dry).