Above: The secret to the success of this goulash: smoked paprika. If you try it, let us know what you think: mailto:dsmeditor@bpcdm.com.
By Wini Moranville
Another upgrade I’ve made is to use boneless beef country-style ribs (easily found at Hy-Vee and sometimes Aldi) instead of the usual stew meat for more succulent results.
If you, like me, have been unimpressed by goulash, try my recipe, and I bet you’ll be unimpressed no more.
Ingredients
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons smoked paprika, divided
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
Parsleyed noodles, pureeed potatoes, spaetzle, or soft polenta for serving
Directions
Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Rub the beef all over with the salt, pepper, and 1 tablespoon of the paprika. Cut the beef into 1- to 2-inch pieces.
Heat the oil over medium-high in a 3- to 4-quart braiser (or use a deep, oven-going skillet or a Dutch oven). Cook the beef in the hot oil until brown on all sides. Remove the beef from the pan and drain off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat.
Reduce the heat to medium; add the onion to the pan and cook until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook just until the fragrance is released.
Add the beef broth, tomato paste, and the remaining 1 tablespoon paprika to the skillet, stirring to combine and to loosen any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Return the meat to the pan. Bring mixture to boiling.
Cover the pan and slide it into the oven. Bake for 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours, or until meat is tender. Stir before serving. Serve with parsleyed noodles, pureed potatoes, spaetzle, or soft polenta. Serves 6.
Wini Moranville writes about food, wine and dining for dsm magazine and dsmWeekly. Follow her on Facebook at All Things Food–DSM.
