The Best Tender Beef Goulash

The best and most tender Bavarian Beef Goulash!

Prep-Time: 45min
Cook-Time: 2-4 hours

INGREDIENTS (8 Portions)

• 2 pounds beef stew meat
  (cut into 1.5 - 2 inch cubes)

• 2 pounds yellow onions

• ~4 tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika powder / mild red paprika powder

• Salt & Pepper

• 1 tsp caraway, ground

• ~2 vegetable bouillon cubes or 2-4 tsp loose vegetable bouillon (to taste)

• 1-2 tbsp sunflower oil

• Filtered water

• Optional: Caramel food coloring 

• Optional: 00 pizza flour

UTENSILS

• Large braising pan with lid
  

SIDES

• Serve with Spätzle, Semmel-
  knoedel, Salt-Potatoes, or Pasta. 

• Cucumber salad and / or raw cabbage salad.

TIPP

Goulash is a great prep-meal as it tastes best when warmed up. You can prepare the Goulash 1-2 days in advance or freeze in portions. 

This is the best Bavarian/Austrian-style beef goulash you’ll ever try! Super tender and full of rich, comforting flavors, this dish is slow-braised to perfection with just three main ingredients: beef, onions, and Hungarian sweet paprika powder. Simple, traditional, and absolutely delicious!

01

Cut the meat into 1.5 - 2 inch cubes. Split the meat into 2 portions. Heat up 1-2 tbsp of sunflower oil in a large braising pan on high heat and sear the first portion of unseasoned beef stew meat cubes. Make sure all sides are well seared so, no juice comes out. When the meat is nicely seared, transfer into a bowl and set aside. Repeat with the second portion of meat. Set bowl with both portions of seared meat aside. 

Use now the same braising pan for the onions. Do not clean the pan in between - you want the roasted meat flavor for the sauce!

02

Cut the onions in cubes. On medium heat, add a little more oil to the braising pan. 

Roast the unseasoned onions on low-medium heat in the braising pan until they’re getting a caramel color. This might take about 5-10 minutes. Then add 1-2 cups hot water. Let it simmer for ~5-10 minutes, stir occasionally. When water is low then add another 1-2 cups of hot water. Let simmer and reduce again. Repeat 2-3 times until the onions are soft and have a deep caramelized color. 

03

Then add 1 tsp ground caraway, a pinch of salt, fresh ground pepper, 3-4 tbsp mild red paprika powder. Add another 1-2 cups hot water. Then blend the onion mix with a hand-blender until there are no junks anymore. 

04

Now season the meat with salt and pepper and add it (incl. meat juice that might have come out) to the onion mass in the braising pan. Add 2-4 tsp of vegetable bouillon to taste. Add enough water so that the meat is covered. Cover the pot with the lid and cook on low heat for 2-4 hours until the meat is tender (cooking time depends on meat). Goulash tastes the best the longer it cooked. So, give it time. 

05

Season to taste with more paprika powder, vegetable bouillon, salt, and pepper

06 (optional, gives a richer color)

To get an even darker color of the sauce, you can add a splash of caramel food coloring (German “Zuckerkulör”). 

07 (optional, makes the sauce more creamy)

If you want the sauce to be thicker and more creamy, put 1-2 tbsp 00 pizza flour in a cup and mix with 1-2 tbsp of cold water. Stir and make sure there are no lumps, then add the mixture to the sauce and heat up once more until the sauce thickens.