I killed it with a goulash today

I had to stay home sick with the flu, so I decided to cook. I was a little tired, so I didn't measure anything too closely.

• 500g of pork or beef goulash/stew meat. mine was mixed.
• about 1/4L of beef broth (i use a beef broth powder and just add water. i like this method because it tends to make less dense broth which I think is better for the goulash sauce)
• 1 red bell pepper
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 small onions
• cumin
• paprika (sweet)
• salt and pepper
• parsley
• creme fraiche
• vegetable oil

Serves 2 hungry people.

1. dice your veggies. really small is best. i find they cook nicer that way.
2. oil in the pan. let it get hot. add the meat. once most of the meat is brown, some people like to drain the juices. i think it adds to the flavor. keep it.
3. at this point you can add the veggies and salt & pepper the business. don't add any chilis, they'll make the goulash too chunky. don't go too heavy. we will add this towards the end again.
4. once the veggies and the meat are nice and soft, add the broth. then add your spices. go heavy on the paprika, but make sure you have a bit more for later, too. if you want to make it spicy, add chili powder or cayenne pepper here.
5. make like beyonce and put a lid on it. turn the heat off. this thing needs to simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes.
6. taste it. do you love dairy like i do? then this is the best part. add the creme fraiche, a bit of S&P and a few extra shakes of paprika. stir it up and cover it for another 5 minutes or so.

Serve with some parsley on top.

 

A Post-script on thickness

how thick it is depends on how you will consume it. noodles? dumplings? potatoes? soup? if you like it soupy, then maybe add some more water and broth. probably good for potatoes too. if you want noodles or dumplings, which are my prefered side dishes, make it creamier. add a bit more fraicheness.

in some crazier parts of the world i.e. Austria or Hungary, people eat goulash with a hot dog or a sunny side up egg. those goulashes are usually a bit soupier.

those crazier parts of the world are the homes of goulash. i have had it there many times and think my recipe, simple as it may seem, competes with theirs, hands down.

bon appetit