Unbeatable Hungarian beef stew recipe
This classic Hungarian beef stew recipe is simple to make, it only needs a few everyday ingredients, and no matter when or for how many, it is going to be a hit and an all time favourite. But wait a single second – is this not “Goulash”?!
Well, yes and no… Goulash is known all over the world as a delicious beef stew. In Hungary goulash or “gulyás” is a soup! (with beef, potatoes and other, mainly root vegetables). Beef stew (the recipe in this post), is called “marhapörkölt” in Hungarian, and this is what the rest of the world knows as Goulash (to the frustration of all Hungarians!). The only thing these two recipes have in common is that they both start exactly the same way, stewing the beef. Real, authentic Hungarian beef stew doesn’t contain any potatoes or starchy vegetables, they are served on the side.
The most amazing way to make this stew is to cook it in a cast iron kettle called a “bogrács” over an open fire. The flavour of the dish made in a bogrács is unforgettable, as is the experience. But since most of us don’t have something like that, this recipe works just fine on the stovetop!
Unbeatable Hungarian beef stew
1200 g (approx. 2.5 pounds) stewing beef cut into 1.5-2cm (half inch) cubes
3 medium onions, diced
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 bell pepper, diced preferably green
3 cloves garlic, crushed
½ cup red wine
3 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp sweet red paprika
¾ tsp dried ground marjoram
¼ tsp ground caraway seeds
1.5 tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
Heat the oil on medium heat in a large pot. I love making this stew in my French enamelled cast-iron oven pot.
Add the diced onion and sautée on low to medium heat until translucent and soft (approximately 10-15 min).
Remove the pot from the heat, add the sweet Hungarian paprika and mix it well with the onions.
Place the pot back and turn up the heat. Sear the beef on medium to high heat for about 4-5 min, stirring constantly.
Add the wine, diced tomato, pepper, garlic, caraway, marjoram, salt, pepper, and stir the ingredients together with the meat. Add the salt gradually and adjust the flavour later as you like. Cover and cook it on low to medium for about 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
Remove the lid and cook the stew for another 30 min., until the stew has thickened enough – there should still be some liquid, about the consistency of heavy cream.
Serve it with boiled potatoes or noodles, and sour pickles.
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Unbeatable Hungarian beef stew with red wine
Ingredients
- 1200 g stewing beef (approx. 2.5 pounds) cut into 1.5-2cm (half inch) cubes
- 3 medium onions, diced
- 2 medium tomatoes, diced
- 1 bell pepper, diced preferably green
- 3 cloves garlic, crushed
- ½ cup red wine
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 3 tbsp sweet red paprika
- ¾ tsp dried ground marjoram
- ¼ tsp ground caraway seeds
- 1.5 tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Instructions
- Heat the oil on medium heat in a large pot. I love making this stew in my French enamelled cast-iron oven pot.
- Add the diced onion and sautée on low to medium heat until translucent and soft (approximately 10-15 min).
- Remove the pot from the heat, add the sweet Hungarian paprika and mix it well with the onions.
- Place the pot back and turn up the heat. Sear the beef on medium to high heat for about 4-5 min, stirring constantly.
- Add the wine, diced tomato, pepper, garlic, caraway, marjoram, salt, pepper, and stir the ingredients together with the meat. Add the salt gradually and adjust the flavour later as you like. Cover and cook it on low to medium for about 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Remove the lid and cook the stew for another 30 min., until the stew has thickened enough – there should still be some liquid, about the consistency of heavy cream.
- Serve it with boiled potatoes or noodles, and sour pickles. Bon apétit!
Notes
- I usually use my favourite enamelled cast-iron dutch oven to make this stew.
- I do not use flour in the recipe, as I do not add flour to any of my stews.
- I do not add any liquid other than the red wine, as it will have more than enough when the meat, tomatoes and peppers release their juices.
- I put the total amount of salt, pepper that I used in the recipe. I suggest to add first less than the total amount, and adjust it later to your liking.
- Although the stew cooks for several hours, once you add all the ingredients, cover the pot and lower the heat, you do not have to stand by the pot and watch it, only stir it occasionally.
- Adding ground caraway seed and marjoram are optional, though they make the stew exceptional.
- Bad wine is not good for drinking, and it is not good for cooking either!
- Always add the wine at the beginning of cooking, once the meat is seared. When the red wine is in, turn the heat to low, low-medium.
- This stew could be made by using veal, pork, lamb or their combination as well
- I do not add potatoes, carrots, parsnips to the stew while cooking.
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