german beef goulash

An authentic German goulash recipe just the way my mother-in-law makes it. Tender chunks of beef in a rich, hearty, delicious onion gravy.

Authentic German Goulash Recipe

beef

2.2 lbs onions (1 kg)

carrots

celeriac celery

butter

tomato paste

½ teaspoon sweet paprika

paprika

dry red wine (750 ml, Note 2)

beef stock (300 ml)

bay leaves

marjoram

caraway seeds (to taste)

salt

black pepper

Chop meat

Cut the meat into cubes (about 1 inch/ 2 ½ cm). Set aside.

Chop vegetables

Brown vegetables

Brown vegetables: Heat the clarified butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot. Add the vegetables and a pinch of salt, and cook, often stirring, for about 10-15 minutes on medium heat, until deeply golden brown. Don’t let them catch too much at the bottom of the pan. Keep stirring and turn down the heat a bit if necessary.

Add tomato paste

Add tomato paste and stir it continuously for about 2 minutes to mix it with the vegetables and let it brown slightly.

Add paprika

Add both kinds of paprika powder and stir well to combine.

Add liquids

Pour in the wine and the stock, add bay leaves, marjoram, caraway seeds, and pepper. Don’t add salt now; it all depends on the stock you are using.

Simmer goulash

Simmer: Add the meat, bring to a boil, cover, and simmer on low heat for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally, or until the meat is perfectly tender.

Adjust taste

Thicken gravy

The gravy should be thick and glossy; if you want it to be thicker, you can cook the German goulash for 10-15 minutes more without the lid. This will allow the sauce to reduce more. However, I seldom find that necessary; it’s usually as thick as we like after the initial cooking time.

German Goulash is one of those classic, versatile dinner ideas. This beef stew is packed with carrots and celery and done up in a thick red wine broth. German goulash pairs perfectly with spaetzle dumplings or potatoes - and a bit of chopped parsley on top!

German Goulash

stewing beef

onions

carrot (optional)

celery (optional)

sugar

bay leaf (optional)

red wine

beef broth

salt and pepper

cornstarch (optional)

Peel the onions and chop them into small pieces. Also, peel the carrot and wash the celery stick (optional). Cut the carrot and celery into slices.

Cut the beef into approximately 3/4 inch cubes.

In a large pot, melt some butter (or oil) and fry the beef on high heat for a few minutes until the outside appears to be cooked. If you want a more intense flavor, you can also fully sear the outsides. Stir regularly. Remove the beef from the pot and place the cubes into a bowl for now. Set the bowl aside.

Add the onions to the large pot and sauté them until translucent (or lightly brown if preferred). Add the celery and carrot and sauté these vegetables for a few minutes as well.

Now add the paprika, tomato paste, and a pinch of sugar. Mix well and cook on medium-high heat for a minute as well.

Next, add the red wine in three increments - approx. 1/3 cup at a time. Add some wine, stir it in, and then wait until it has reduced noticeably. Then add some more wine and repeat until you have used up the whole cup.

Re-add the beef to the pot, stir everything and then add enough beef broth so that it just covers the contents in the pot. In our case, this is usually between 1 1/2 - 2 cups of broth - it might vary slightly for you. At this stage, also add your bay leaf if you want some more flavor (optional).

Bring the broth to a boil, then turn down the heat to low, add the lid and let the goulash simmer on low heat for around 2 hours until the meat is very tender. Stir occasionally and add more broth as necessary (we don't usually need to do this).

When you are happy with the tenderness of the meat, add salt and pepper to taste.

Optional: Dissolve 2 tablespoons of cornstarch in a little bit of cold water in a separate mug. Add it to the pot with the goulash and stir regularly while simmering the broth until it has thickened.

Serve your goulash with Spätzle (egg noodles), fusilli pasta, potatoes, bread dumplings, or fresh bread.

Thick and flavorful German goulash with tender chunks of beef and dark Bavarian lager. The addition of potatoes and/or peppers and carrots is optional.

German Goulash with Beef and Bavarian Dark Lager

tbsp cooking oil

lbs onions, diced small (about 5 medium onions)

tbsp sweet paprika (aka Hungarian paprika)*

oz dark German lager

tsp pepper

tsp caraway seeds

marjoram (sub with oregano)

lbs Yukon gold potatoes (optional, about 3-4 medium sized potatoes)***

In a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high...

In a large, heavy bottomed pot over medium-high heat heat the oil and saute the diced onions until they cook down and become soft (7-10 mins).

Add the beef, stir and cook until its...

Add the beef, stir and cook until its juices run clear and most of the liquid in the pot has evaporated (about 10 mins).

Stir in the tomato paste and paprika, cook...

Stir in the tomato paste and paprika, cook for about 1 min.

Add the beer to deglaze and scrape the...

Add the beer to deglaze and scrape the bottom of the pot.

Add the beef stock, salt & pepper, caraway...

Add the beef stock, salt & pepper, caraway and marjoram, stir and bring to boil. Lower the heat, cover and simmer for about 80 minutes. You may stir occasionally.

After 80 mins add the potatoes. Add a...

After 80 mins add the potatoes. Add a bit of water if/as needed. Cook for another 20 minutes or so, depending on how large you cut the potatoes. (If not using potatoes simply continue to simmer the beef until it reaches your desired tenderness).

Serve with rye bread, chopped parsley or oregano...

Serve with rye bread, chopped parsley or oregano as garnish and sprinkle each bowl with a pinch of paprika.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtb77ju4I8A

Hearty beef goulash recipe, South German style, with a lovely taste infusion from Bavarian dark lager (dunkel). Full recipe: https://www.craftbeering.com/german-goulash-recipe-beef-dark-beer/

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Authentic German Goulash Recipe

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Top 3 german beef goulash recipes from across the web

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Authentic German Goulash Recipe

German Goulash

German Goulash with Beef and Bavari...

The most viewed german beef goulash recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine