Gulazs wolowy (Polish goulash)

The authentic Polish beef goulash (gulasz wolowy), cooked the traditional way.

Servings

Prep Time 20

Total Time 6

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs quality beef meat (1 kg)
2 lbs onions (1 kg)
lard or oil
1 cup red wine
1/5 cup fresh dried paprika (20 g)
5 cloves of garlic
2 dried bay leaves
half teaspoon marjoram
salt
black pepper (powdered and whole)
oil or lard

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut the beef into large chunks (0,8 inch/2 cm)
Peel and chop the onions to pieces as small as possible ans crush the garlic.
Fry the onions on hot lard or oil until they soften and start looking nicely yellow. Imediately add a pinch of salt and be careful not to burn or over-fry them. Add the paprika, spices and the rest of the salt. Stir for a moment then pour into the pot a cup of wine and/or water. Cover with the lid and cook slowly on low heat for at least an hour until the onions soften and start dissolving. Stir frequently and keep adding small amounts of water if needed.
When the onions are softened, add the beef. Stir and pour in another glass of water, so that the ingredients are covered. Simmer the goulash covered with a lid, very slowly on a very low heat for at least another two to three hours (preferably more). Stir occasionaly and add more water if needed.
The goulash is done when the meat softens and the onions, fat and other tissues are completely dissolved in a juicy, thickening, delicious sauce and absorbed by the beef.

Video

NOTES

Food nutter's tips:

The goulash will definitely turn out the most delicious if cooked in a cast iron cauldron over an open fire.
The best goulash will be made of different fresh beef cuts and fresh, dried paprika of good quality.
Adding a few halves of fresh red bell peppers (and removing the skin when cooked) will deepen the taste of the sauce to perfection.
The authentic beef goulash recipe does not include any flour for thickening the sauce but the same amount of onions and meat. The magic lies in the process; cooking the goulash slowly and very long on very low heat will result in a juicy, delicious taste of beef and thick sauce.
Prefer chopping the onions to pieces small as possible rather than using a food processor. Add a pinch of salt immediately when you start frying them.
When adding the paprika, do not fry it for long, as it might contribute to a bitter taste of the goulash. Pour a glass of wine and/or water over the paprika and saute.
The onions, together with paprika and spices, should be cooked for at least an hour before adding the beef.
It's important to catch the right time when adding the beef. The meat should cook very slowly on low heat for at least two to three hours to get a delicious goulash, preferably even more. If the heat is too high or the meat is cooked for too long, it will start falling apart. It takes practice to cook a perfect goulash.
When the onions and the collagen in the tissues get dissolved, they will be absorbed by the beef. Do not worry if the sauce gets too thick, you can always thin it with water, which will not make the sauce watery, less juicy or less tasty as that often happens with other stews.
Because of the slow cooking process, prefer to cook a larger amount of goulash that can be easily stored.
Store your gulasz wolowy in an airtight container or a covered pot in the refrigerator for up to three days. The goulash will taste even better when reheated the next day.
Frozen goulash can be stored in the freezer for up to three months.
Following a simple canning process, you can store your goulash in jars in a dark and dry place for a few months.
The stored goulash can be used as a perfectly tasty dish whenever you don't have the time to cook. It can be added to enrich other sauces and stews or even transformed into a tasty beef soup.

Author: Food nutters

Calories: 462kcal

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: East Euroean, european

Keyword: beef, beef stew, goulash, gulash, gulasz

Nutrition