Karl Ratzschs Hungarian Beef Goulash Food

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.

HUNGARIAN BEEF STEW "GOULASH"

Steps:

• In the bottom of a heavy casserole saute the chopped bacon to render the fat. Add the onion to the bacon fat and brown until golden. Stir in the garlic but do not burn. Quickly add the beef in one layer, season with salt and pepper and brown all sides well.
• Sprinkle the paprika, marjoram and lemon zest in and quickly stir to coat the meat evenly.
• Add vinegar and wine and cook until nearly dry.
• Add the tomato and broth, bring to a boil quickly before lowering the heat to a simmer and cook gently for 45 minutes. Add the potatoes. Continue to cook for an additional 20 minutes before serving with buttered noodles.

KARL RATZSCH'S HUNGARIAN BEEF GOULASH

Steps:

• Cut meat up into 1 1/2 inch squares. Sauté onions in butter until transparent, but not brown. Add meat and cook for 10-15 minutes Add the flour and stir well. Add the salt, pepper, and beef stock just enough to cover the meat. Cover the pan and bring up to the boil. Lower the heat, add the paprika, and simmer until tender, about 1 1/2 hours. If you prefer a thicker gravy stir 2 Tbs flour into 1/4 cup cold water and add to meat mixture near the end of the cooking time. Serves 4-6.

HUNGARIAN BEEF GOULASH

Steps:

• Combine flour, sweet paprika, salt, hot paprika and black pepper in resealable plastic food storage bag. Add 1/2 of beef. Seal bag; shake to coat well. Repeat with remaining beef.
• Heat 1 1/2 tablespoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat. Add one-half of beef; brown on all sides. Transfer to large bowl. Repeat browning with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil and remaining beef; transfer to same bowl.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same Dutch oven; add onion and cook 8 minutes or until tender. Add minced garlic cloves and cook for 2-3 more minutes, stirring often.
• Return beef and any juices to Dutch oven. Add broth, tomatoes with liquid, water and marjoram. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until meat is tender, stirring once.
• When meat is tender, stir in noodles and bell pepper; cover. Simmer about 8 minutes or until noodles are tender, stirring once. To serve, ladle into 8 soup bowls. Dollop with sour cream.

HUNGARIAN GOULASH

Steps:

• Heat up the oil or lard in a pot and braise the chopped onions in it until they get a nice golden brown colour
• Sprinkle the braised onions with paprika powder while strirring them to prevent the paprika from burning.
• Add the beef cubes and and sautee them till they turn white and get a bit of brownish colour as well.
• The meat will probably let out its own juice, let the beef-cubes simmer in it while adding the grated or crushed and chopped garlic (grated garlic has stronger flavour), the ground caraway seed, some salt and ground black pepper, the bayleaf, pour water enough to cover the content of the pan and let it simmer on low heat for a while.
• When the meat is half-cooked (approx. in 1,5 hour, but it can take longer depending on the type and quality of the beef) add the diced carrots and the potatoes, the cellery leaf and some more salt if necessary (vegetables tend to call for more salt). You'll probably have to add some more (2-3 cups) water too.
• When the vegetables and the meat are almost done add the tomatoe cubes and the sliced green peppers. Let it cook on low heat for another few minutes. You can remove the lid of the pan if you want the soup to thicken.
• Hungarian goulash is neither a soup nor a stew, its somewhere in between. Though in Hungary its considered rather to be a soup than a stew.
• The soup is hearty enough without any pasta just serve with some fresh bread

CROCK-POT HUNGARIAN GOULASH

Steps:

• Heat oil in 10 inch skillet over medium high heat. Cook beef in oil about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until brown; drain. Place beef and onion in 3 1/2 to 6 quart slow cooker.
• Mix broth, tomato paste, garlic, Worcestershire Sauce, paprika, salt, caraway seed and pepper; stir into beef mixture. Cover and cook on low heat setting 8-10 hours until beef is tender.
• Mix water and flour; gradually stir into beef mixture. Stir in bell pepper. Cover and cook on high heat setting 30 minutes. Serve goulash over noodles.

HUNGARIAN GOULASH STEW

Steps:

• Cut beef into 1 inch squares, add 1/2 tsp. salt and lightly dust with plain flour.
• Chop onions and brown in oil, add beef and paprika. Add garlic and chopped tomato.
• Let beef simmer in its own juice along with salt and paprika for 1 hr on very low heat.
• Add water, diced potatoes and remaining salt. Cover and simmer until potatoes are done and meat is tender.
• Add more paprika if required towards the end, sauce should be thick and flavorsome. You can also add a tablespoon of flour at end to thicken slightly.
• Prepare the nokedli to accompany the goulash:
• Hand-beat eggs with fork for 30 secs and add water. Add flour to beaten eggs and add salt.
• Mix well until it forms a ball. Let it stand for 1/2 hour for flour to mellow.
• Take a teaspoonful of the mix and drop into boiling water. Repeat until mix is finished. Once dumplings rise to surface they are ready (normally takes about 1 min).
• Once you have removed all the nokedli, mix it in with a bit of salted butter and chopped parley.
• Mix the sourcream and horseradish cream. Top the goulash with the cream. Garnish with parsley and serve it with the nokedli.