Hungarian Hot Stew Hunky Stew Recipes

AUTHENTIC PöRKöLT (HUNGARIAN BEEF AND ONION STEW)

Steps:

• In a heavy pot or Dutch oven fry the bacon until done. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat until golden. Add the bell peppers and garlic and cook for another two minutes. Add the beef and cook for a minute until some, but not all, of the pink is gone. Stir in the paprika and remove from heat.
• Add the remaining ingredients. Add just enough water to come up to just over the halfway point of the stew mixture (in other words, not so the water is covering it). Return to heat and bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 90 minutes. If the stew isn't thick enough, continue to simmer uncovered for a few more minutes so that some of the liquid evaporates. Add salt to taste.
• Serve with Spätzle (in Hungary they are shorter and stubbier, so prepare the dough accordingly or just use whatever method/shape you prefer - the texture and flavor of the dough is the same regardless). Or serve with boiled potatoes or wide egg noodles. A side salad, particularly a cucumber salad, is traditional. If desired, serve with a dollop of sour cream.

HUNGARIAN HOT STEW "HUNKY STEW"

Steps:

• Cut meat into 2-3" chunks and put into a large pot or Dutch oven. Sprinkle with hot pepper seeds-to taste.
• Layer all of the ingredients in the order given, just make sure the the tomato juice and sauce cover the veggies but not so much it becomes a soup. Wiggle the pan so the sauce distributes throughout.
• Cook on medium to medium-low heat for 1 hour, skimming when needed and stirring occasionally (at this point you want to stir carefully so as not to disrupt the layering too much).
• Cook an additional hour or so on medium-low or until the carrots are done.
• Serve with crusty bread (for sopping-very important!) and salad.

HUNGARIAN STEW

Steps:

• Place potatoes and onions in a 3-qt. slow cooker. In a large skillet, brown meat in oil on all sides. Place over potato mixture., Pour off excess fat from skillet. Add water to the drippings, stirring to loosen browned bits from pan; heat through. Stir in the paprika, salt, caraway seeds, tomato paste and garlic. Pour into the slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours. , Add green peppers and tomatoes; cover and cook 1 hour longer or until meat and vegetables are tender. With a slotted spoon, transfer meat and vegetables to a large serving bowl; cover and keep warm. , Pour cooking juices into a small saucepan. Combine flour and cold water until smooth; gradually whisk into the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; whisk in sour cream. Stir into meat mixture.

HUNGARIAN TOMATO-PEPPER STEW (LECSó)

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a large skillet, sauté the onion in bacon fat or oil over low heat for 5 minutes.
• Add pepper strips and cook another 15 minutes.
• Add tomatoes, sugar, salt, and paprika, and cook for another 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the mixture resembles chunky tomato sauce.

HUNGARIAN GOULASH

Steps:

• Place beef in a large Ziploc bag. Add flour, plus a dash of salt and pepper. Seal the bag and toss so that the beef chunks are coated in flour.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot (but not smoking), brown the beef on both sides until the chunks turn a rich color (about 8-10 minutes). Don't stir the beef too much as it's cooking - you want to allow it to sit on one side and brown before turning it over or stirring it again.
• Add diced tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, carrots, potatoes (if using), beef broth, paprika, tomato paste and caraway seed. Increase the heat and bring to a boil, scraping the brown bits from the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
• Once the broth boils, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and allow the stew to simmer until the meat and vegetables are tender (approximately 2 hours). Remove lid during the final 10-15 minutes to allow the broth to thicken, if desired. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
• Serve goulash in bowls, or on plates over mashed potatoes or buttered noodles. Garnish with fresh parsley and a dollop of sour cream.

REAL HUNGARIAN GOULASH (NO TOMATO PASTE HERE)

Steps:

• Melt lard in a large pot over medium heat. Cook and stir onions in hot lard until soft and translucent, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Stir beef and paprika into onions. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add 1 cup water and simmer, adding more water if moisture gets too low, until meat falls apart and onion sauce is thick, about 1 hour more. Season with salt and pepper to taste.