Goulash
A Hungarian-style slow-braised beef stew with smoked paprika, sweet peppers, and a finishing swirl of cream. Rich, warming, and deeply satisfying over rice.
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) chuck beef, cut into big pieces
- 3 medium onions, each cut into 6 pieces
- 3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 5 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chilli flakes
- 1 teaspoon beef stock paste or 1 stock cube
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- Salt and pepper
- 600 ml (2.5 cups) water
- 1 tin (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 red, 1 orange, and 1 green pepper, thinly sliced (cores and seeds removed)
- 1/2 cup double cream (heavy cream)
- Rice and vegetables to serve
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Brown the beef pieces in batches and set aside.
- In the same pot, cook the onions for about 4 minutes until softened.
- Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
- Add the smoked paprika, chilli flakes, beef stock paste, flour, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for 1 minute.
- Return the beef to the pot. Add the water, crushed tomatoes, and bay leaves. Stir to combine.
- Bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to the oven. Cook for 2 hours.
- Add the sliced peppers, cover, and return to the oven for a further 1 hour.
- Remove from the oven. Stir in the double cream.
- Serve over rice with vegetables.
Notes
- Smoked paprika: The defining ingredient — use good quality smoked paprika, not sweet. It should be a deep, rich red.
- Browning the beef: Do this in batches to avoid steaming. A good sear adds depth of flavour.
- Peppers last: Adding the peppers in the last hour preserves their colour and gives them texture without going to mush.
- Cream: The swirl of cream at the end softens and enriches the whole dish. Don’t skip it.
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