Well, we’re certainly kicking stew season off with a bang! First we brought you the fully loaded, Southwest inspired Cowboy Stew. Next came the iconic East African Doro Wat. Now, today’s recipe is German Goulash, and it may be the best beef stew you’ve ever had.
What is German Goulash?
German Goulash is a dish where beef is stewed in wine and broth, along with a variety of veggies. What makes it really unique is a few seasonings that you won’t find in other beef stews. As I mentioned, it does have similarities to Hungarian Goulash, but it tends to be more of a thick stew as opposed to a soup. There is a soupier version, called gulaschsuppe, but today we’re going with the more hearty dish.
Ingredients
Beef – We generally use chuck roast for stews, cut up into chunks. If you really want to go all out, short ribs would be great here too. Garlic – It’s always a staple. Vegetables – Onion, potato, carrots and red bell pepper. Red wine – Pick something you would enjoy drinking the leftovers of! Beef broth – I use Better than Bouillon. Tomato paste – It adds a nice little tang to the stew. Seasonings – This is where things really get interesting. Along with your basic salt, pepper and bay leaves, German Goulash also has caraway seeds, dried marjoram and sweet Spanish or Hungarian paprika. Please don’t try to use regular paprika, the results won’t come out the same. Lemon zest – It’s optional, but I’ve tried both with and without and find that it does adds a nice little background flavor. Parsley – For garnish.
German Goulash Recipe
First, I season the beef pieces with salt and pepper, then sear then until they are browned up. If making a big batch, which I usually do, I do this in batches. When they’re ready, I remove them to a plate. Next I add the chopped onion and sauté it for 4-5 minutes, followed by the garlic for about a minute. Then, I add in sweet paprika, tomato paste, and seared beef pieces along with any juices on the plate. I give everything a good mix and cook for 5 minutes. After that, I add lemon zest, along with red wine, beef broth, marjoram, caraway seeds, bay leaves, and remaining salt and pepper. I bring this to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, for about one hour. Then, I add in carrots, cover again, and cook for another 1 to 1.5 hours until the meat is almost tender. Finally, I add in potatoes and bell peppers and cook for another 30-40 minutes, or until potatoes are tender and beef is very tender. If I feel like a thicker stew, I cook it uncovered at this point, but sometimes I leave it covered for a thinner consistency. It’s up to you and what you crave that day. At the end, I always taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
Serving Suggestions
This time around, we served our goulash with spätzle, which are a type of German egg noodle. They carry them at Aldi this time of year because of Octoberfest. But it would also go equally good with any type of egg noodle. It’s also great on top of mashed potatoes, or with a side of crusty bread. Alpana also says to eat it with rice. She’s a rice eater. So the next time you get a craving for beef stew, go the German way. I promise, this goulash will not disappoint! If you try it, please leave a star rating and comment, we love to hear from you. And be sure to stay in the loop by subscribing to our newsletter or following us on Pinterest.
German Goulash, on our Gypsy Plate… enjoy!
More Stew Recipes:Brown Stew ChickenCarbonnade FlamandePork StewSancochoMeatball StewCarne GuisadaFesenjan
