# Goulash



## kc5tpy (Aug 14, 2014)

Hello folks.  I have never had a really good goulash recipe.  I have never tasted a really good goulash so I have been working with what I presume it should taste like.  I have tasted a few WAY different things folks CALLED "goulash"/"goulosh".  In most cases I think folks just cleared the fridge and made a "left over stew" and tried to give it a fancy name.  I've got nothing against left over stew", it goes on the menu now and then but that isn't goulash.  One of the few things I can easily find here in the U.K. is good Spanish and Hungarian paprika.  Hot or sweet/smoked or unsmoked.  I thought about smoking the meat first and then making the dish, or can I just get by with a good smoked paprika?  Beef, pork or a combination?  Anyone have a good recipe they wouldn't mind sharing?  Thanks so much for any help you might be able to provide.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


----------



## fire in the hole (Aug 14, 2014)

Danny.........This is a meal I always called goulash and it may be and it may not be..........but basically it is 1# ground beef, a small yellow onion chopped fine, and cooked in with the meat while browning, then a can of stewed tomatoes and a cup of dry elbow macaroni with some water added to cook the mac. Then it's salt, pepper and oregano to taste. I go lite on the oregano because it is strong flavored. This is all done on the stove in a fry pan with a cover.

Oh ya...........lotsa buttered bread go with the meal.

Gary


----------



## kc5tpy (Aug 14, 2014)

Hello.  Thanks for that.  What I am looking for has chunks of meat like a Texas style chilli I am from Tx. and I USUALLY make my chilli with ground beef and I add beans because that's the way I like it ).  May I offer: I make something similar to your recipe I call Chilli Mac after that well known Helper box.  If you would like to change your recipe up now and then leave out the oregano.  Add 1/2 tablespoon good chilli powder and 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin when the ground beef and onions are almost done.  Cook the chilli powder and cumin for a short while.  Add a clove of garlic or about 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt and then finish as you normally would.  Turns it Tex-Mex.  Garlic, oregano, basil and thyme turns it Italian.  Adjust the spices to your tastes.  Same dish, 3 different flavours.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


----------



## oldschoolbbq (Aug 14, 2014)

Danny, I swear you grew up only blocks away from me . Mom would make a pot of Pintos and Cornbread , the leftover beans she put in a mixture of Hamburger (which was really close to how Manwitch taste ). I loved that stuff , now I use leftover Brisky or PP. instead of Burger  and it turns out great.

I do a homemade version , however the can recipe does good for ease and rush jobs. Of course , additions are always an option .

Have fun and . . .


----------



## kc5tpy (Aug 14, 2014)

Hello my friend.  I think our Moms exchanged recipes.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   Keep Smokin!

Danny


----------



## atomicsmoke (Aug 14, 2014)

Danny,

For a good finger licking authentic goulash forget what they served you in the school lunchroom or office cafeteria. Those are as close to goulas as they are to beef bourguignon.

First of all let's give credit to the Hungarians who came up with it and spell it gulyas (or gulyasleves- gulyas soup).

As much as we all love smoked meat and meals cooked with it....gulyas does not use smoked meat.

You mentioned Hungarian paprika...very important ingredient. Don't bother with spanish paprika ...they are great at jamon they know nothing about paprika.

Meat: beef if you want authenticity but pork works well too. Go for flavorful cuts (sirloin). If you feel adventurous try sheep meat. Obviously I am talking chunks not ground.

Another important ingredient: caraway seeds.

There is no browning sauce, thickening agent in gulyas. You should end up with a clear thin soup (except for the red tint from the paprika) with vegetable chunks visible at the bottom of the pot.

You thicken it in the serving bowl with sour cream. 

It should go like this: saute chopped onion, add meat cubes and cook until no longer pink, add garlic, paprika, ground caraway and cook until paprika releases those nice oils. Not longer - gets bitter. Add chopped pepper and tomatoes, then water. Cook until meat is done. Add chopped carrot, potatoes and celery root and simmer until are all cooked. I prefer parcooking the potatoes separately to avoid the starchy soup texture. Just personal choice.


Simmer rather than hardboil. Add water as you go if needed.

 For extra carb content have some pierogi like small noodles ready and dropped them in the last 15min. 

Add more paprika to finish. Did I say enough it's gotta be Hungarian?

Don't forget the sour cream.

Edit: obviously you need salt and pepper during the process. Adjust again at the end.


----------



## kc5tpy (Aug 16, 2014)

Hello atomicsmoke.  Sorry for the late response.  Thanks for that recipe, will give 'er a try.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


----------



## alexy (Oct 27, 2014)

Just a update for a Goulash recipe. 

We use skirt steak cut into pieces lightly floured and put into the bottom of the oven to brown. After 5-6 mins add onions and parica and cook until the onions become clear and then add crushed tomatoes and add 1 clove of garlic for each lb of meat you have in the pot. I coarsely cut up carrots and celry and add them at this time as well. ccok for 2 hrs on coals or just get it to about 180 degrees. add some peeled potato's if you want to thicken the stew up 

The picture below was taken of the stew in postwar 













goulash.jpg



__ alexy
__ Oct 27, 2014






field kitchen that is used in reenactments. It is a 20 liter pressure cooker. than can heat up and cook the stew in just under 2 hrs. .....Amazingly it was nicknamed the "goulash kannone" Goulash cannon in english since it looked like a cannon limber.


----------



## x0xsaywhutx0x (Jan 10, 2016)

Best goulash recipe I've ever found... absolutely love this!  Here is the link, even gives a history on goulash.

http://gkovats.blogspot.com/2010/10/hungarian-goulash.html


----------



## 3montes (Jan 17, 2016)

I just made goulash today in my enameled dutch oven on the stove top. Used about 3lbs of sirloin cut into 1 inch cubes.

1 large can of whole San Marzano tomatoes with juice. I crushed them in the can with a potato smasher.

I roasted 2 small red and 2 small yellow peppers then peeled and cut up and tossed them in.

1 diced yellow onion

Spanish paprika

Ancho chili powder

Chipolte chili powder

Kosher salt

Lots of cracked black pepper

Bay leaves

Dried basil

Mushroom stems and pieces

Elbow macaroni

I think thats it. It's simmering on the stove now. Smells damn good too! My goulash is like my chili never the same twice. The base might be the same but at some point things become a free for all and things just wind up in the pot! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Won't have it until tomorrow though. I'm stuffed from beer and wings I had earlier.


----------



## x0xsaywhutx0x (Jan 17, 2016)

3montes said:


> I just made goulash today in my enameled dutch oven on the stove top. Used about 3lbs of sirloin cut into 1 inch cubes.
> 
> 1 large can of whole San Marzano tomatoes with juice. I crushed them in the can with a potato smasher.
> 
> ...


Beer, wings, and goulash sounds like my kind of party


----------



## ak1 (Jan 17, 2016)

Dont forget to add some diced beef (or calf) heart into the stew, it makes a difference. And use Hungarian paprika. That's important. No potatoes, no pasta, no rice.

Carrots; yes. Onion; yes. Celery; yes. Some garlic; yes.


----------



## x0xsaywhutx0x (Jan 17, 2016)

I've never heard of carrots and celery in goulash before, to me it makes it like most other stews or soups which just isn't for me, but that's my personal preference.  And i enjoy my goulash over some egg noodles, helps  round out the dish.  A foreign exchange student from Slovakia (he was also part Hungarian and Polish) I knew back in high school, made goulash for us one day before snowboarding.  It was a recipe from his mother (I don't know if it was one past down from past relatives) but it was basic, and very delicious.  I don't remember exactly what was in it, I know it was mainly beef, onion, lots of peppers, and tomatoes.  He then served it over some kind of noodle similar to gnocchi but smaller, and made that from scratch as well.  I wish I had gotten that recipe from him when I had the chance.


----------



## atomicsmoke (Jan 17, 2016)

Basil and chili?
No caraway? I am sure it's delicious but that ain't Hungarian goulash (gulyasleves).

Xox,
Those were pinched noodles - csipetke.


----------



## 3montes (Jan 24, 2016)

I agree. My goulash often times turns into a hot dish depending on what ingredients I have on hand at the time. I wanted caraway but settled for cumin when I realized I didn't have caraway on hand. I also put in a cup of whole kernel sweet corn from last summer that I had in the freezer.

An ingredient swap here and there and it easily could have been chili.


----------



## x0xsaywhutx0x (Jan 24, 2016)

3montes said:


> I agree. My goulash often times turns into a hot dish depending on what ingredients I have on hand at the time. I wanted caraway but settled for cumin when I realized I didn't have caraway on hand. I also put in a cup of whole kernel sweet corn from last summer that I had in the freezer.
> 
> An ingredient swap here and there and it easily could have been chili.


The only difference between chili and goulash is basically the spices used.


----------



## atomicsmoke (Jan 24, 2016)

x0xsaywhutx0x said:


> The only difference between chili and goulash is basically the spices used.


Not really. Goulash is a clear soup (until you add sour cream).


----------



## x0xsaywhutx0x (Jan 24, 2016)

I've never seen goulash as a soup.  As far as I've always known and seen it was a stew.  And I've never seen sour cream added to it


----------



## ak1 (Jan 24, 2016)

This from Epicurious;

Which Hungarians call gulyás is actually a hearty soup comprised mainly of beef, onions, paprika, soup veggies, and potatoes. What we (and the Germans and Austrians) know as "goulash/goulasch" goes by the name of pörkölt in the Magyar tongue. Hungarians do like their stews, and there are three basic types: pörkölt, paprikás, and tokány. Generally, all three contain generous amounts of meat and onion. Pörkolt and paprikás are flavored with paprika, and paprikás is basically a pörkölt with sour cream added to it. The third, tokány, originates in Transylvania and is generally made without paprika and is flavored with spices and herbs such as black pepper, marjoram, etc. There are other minor details that differentiate the three, but those are the basic points.

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/m...-hungarian-beef-goulash-marhaporkolt-50034783


----------



## atomicsmoke (Jan 24, 2016)

x0xsaywhutx0x said:


> I've never seen goulash as a soup.  As far as I've always known and seen it was a stew.  And I've never seen sour cream added to it


It's called "gulyasleves" in Hungarian. Leves means soup.

As AK quoted: porkolt is a stew. Gulyas is not.
Tokany is more like a ragu. Paprikas is meat with cream sauce.

Sour cream is an addon when is served. Not "mandatory" but Hungarians love their sour cream.


----------



## x0xsaywhutx0x (Jan 26, 2016)

Goulash can be either a soup or a stew. Depending on however you want to make it.


----------



## ak1 (Jan 26, 2016)

No, not really. Gulyas is a soup. end of. If you want to make a stew with similar ingredients it's not Gulyas. It can be Porkolt or Paprikas. But it is not Gulyas. Just because you think it is, doesn't make it so.


----------



## atomicsmoke (Jan 26, 2016)

x0xsaywhutx0x said:


> Goulash can be either a soup or a stew. Depending on however you want to make it.


Are we still talking about authentic gulyas or we moved to cleaning-the-fridge-everything-in-the-pot soup/stew?

I think it was Bourdain who said that if you want to make good carbonara don't use the recipe from the back of a can of peas.


----------



## x0xsaywhutx0x (Jan 29, 2016)

I've seen a bunch of sources say one, the other, or both.  And seeing as how it really originated is unknown and disputed, we will never truly know.  We will just have to agree to disagree, and seeing as you two (AK and atomic) have more experience than I do, I respect what you say and appreciate all the input you give us.  When I have a chance, I am going to try to make it as a soup, so if any of you have a good recipe to try and any tips to give, let me know.  Or even if you have a recipe or tips for making pörkölt, paprikás, or tokány, let me know as I would like to try them all.  I never meant to get into an argument like this.


----------



## ak1 (Jan 29, 2016)

Not arguing. Debating.  Gulyas was and is more of a soup than a stew. Meaning it was a thin broth. Given what it may have been at one point in time, compared to what it is now.  It's probably not much different than arguing Chili, Or saying that East Side New York food is Italian.


----------



## atomicsmoke (Jan 29, 2016)

Xox,
My first entry on this thread includes a goulyas recipe. Let me know if you need more details.

My take on paprikas and tokany are not really Hungarian style - so I let other members share these recipes.

However I've been told I make a mean porkolt. Bogracs porkolt (bogracs=cauldron).

I will PM the recipe if interested.


----------

