A proper goulash needs no secret, just time. Equal parts onions and meat, slowly browned, then braised together for at least two hours. This creates a deep, rich sauce without any flour. The collagen in the beef shank melts and naturally thickens the gravy. Serve with boiled potatoes, pasta, or fresh bread.
Why this works
Shank and shoulder are marbled with collagen, which remains tough when briefly seared. Only at around 70 °C and over several hours does it transform into gelatin. This is the very same gelatin that later gives the sauce its rich consistency. That is exactly why goulash needs no flour. The thickening comes from the meat itself, supported by the onions, which completely break down during the long braise.
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Sear the meat
Pat the meat cubes dry, salt them, and sear them in clarified butter in batches until browned all over. Do not overcrowd the pan, otherwise the meat will boil in its own juices instead of browning. Remove the finished pieces and set them aside.
- 2
Brown the onions
Braise the onions in the same pot over medium heat for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown. This is the most important step for flavor, so take your time here. Add the garlic and tomato paste and roast them briefly.
- 3
Season & deglaze
Briefly remove the pot from the heat and stir in the paprika, because it will burn and turn bitter over high heat. Deglaze with the red wine and scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pot, as this is pure flavor.
- 4
Braise
Return the meat to the pot and barely cover it with broth. Add the bay leaves and caraway, bring everything to a boil once, and then let it simmer gently, covered, over the lowest heat for 2 to 2.5 hours until the meat almost falls apart on its own.
- 5
Season to taste
Remove the lid and let the sauce reduce uncovered for another 15 minutes if necessary. Finally, season to taste with red wine vinegar, salt, and pepper, because this exact splash of acidity rounds out the goulash.
Our best tips
- Goulash tastes even better on the second day, so feel free to cook it the day before.
- Do not skimp on the onions. They dissolve almost completely and thicken the sauce.
- If the sauce is too thin, mash a few pieces of meat instead of stirring in flour.
Tasty variations
Szeged Style
Braise 300 g of drained sauerkraut during the last half hour and serve with a dollop of sour cream.
With Bell Peppers (Pörkölt)
Braise two red pointed peppers cut into strips for a more Hungarian and fruity flavor.
Nutrition facts
| Calories | 724 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 57 g |
| Carbohydrates | 24 g |
| – of which sugar | 15 g |
| Fat | 39 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
Where the 724 kcal come from
per serving
These lines have no quantity (“to taste”) or no table value, so they are missing from the total.
Calculated from the ingredients – how we do it
We add up reference values for every ingredient and divide by the number of servings. These assumptions are baked in:
- Reference values per 100 g – for the raw ingredient, exactly as listed.
- Tinned goods count at drained weight, bone-in meat at purchase weight: you eat about 70 per cent of a chicken thigh and leave the rest.
- Water evaporates as you cook. The energy stays in the pot, the weight does not – so the figure is per serving, not per 100 g of finished dish.
- Anything listed without a quantity – “salt and pepper” – is not counted.
A guide value, not a lab measurement: no two onions weigh the same, and fat content varies from pack to pack.
Frequently asked questions
Which meat is best?
Marbled cuts with connective tissue like shank, shoulder, or neck. Lean tenderloin or roulade will become dry and tough when braised. Collagen is your friend here.
Why is my goulash tough?
Usually the cooking time was too short or the heat was too high. Meat rich in connective tissue needs to simmer long and gently so the collagen melts into gelatin. It goes through a tough phase before becoming tender, so just keep braising.
Can I freeze goulash?
Yes, very well. Let it cool completely, freeze in portions, and it will keep for 3 months. Thaw and heat slowly in a pot.
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