Rindergulasch

Nutrition · per serving

Steps

1. 1

   Prepare everything first: slice the onions, dice the red bell pepper, chop the garlic, and cut the beef into even 3 cm cubes if not already prepared. Pat the beef dry well with paper towels so it browns instead of steaming.

   300 g onions, thinly sliced120 g red bell pepper, diced2 cloves (10 g) garlic, finely chopped500 g beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 3 cm cubes
2. 2

   Heat a heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the neutral oil, then brown the beef in 2 batches for 2-3 minutes per batch, turning to color several sides. Do not crowd the pot. The goal is deep browning, not full cooking. Transfer the browned beef to a plate.

   1 tbsp (15 ml) neutral oil500 g beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 3 cm cubes
3. 3

   Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onions to the same pot and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often, until very soft and golden. If the pot looks dry, add a splash of water rather than more oil. Stir in the red bell pepper and garlic and cook for 2 minutes more.

   300 g onions, thinly sliced120 g red bell pepper, diced2 cloves (10 g) garlic, finely chopped
4. 4

   Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to darken it slightly. Remove the pot briefly from the heat, then stir in the sweet paprika, hot paprika, caraway seeds, and dried marjoram. Taking the pot off the heat for this moment helps prevent the paprika from scorching and turning bitter.

   20 g tomato paste2 tbsp (14 g) sweet paprika1 tsp (2 g) hot paprika1 tsp (2 g) caraway seeds, lightly crushed1 tsp (1 g) dried marjoram
5. 5

   Return the pot to medium heat and immediately pour in the red wine, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom. Simmer for 2 minutes to reduce slightly.

   150 ml red wine
6. 6

   Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Add the beef stock, bay leaf, salt, and black pepper. Bring just to a simmer, then lower the heat, cover, and cook gently for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice.

   500 g beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 3 cm cubes250 ml beef stock1 bay leaf1 tsp, plus more to taste (6 g) salt1/2 tsp (1 g) black pepper
7. 7

   Uncover and continue simmering for 8-10 minutes, until the beef is tender enough to cut with a spoon and the sauce has thickened to a rich gravy consistency. If needed, simmer a little longer; if too thick, loosen with a small splash of water. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the bay leaf.

   500 g beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 3 cm cubes1 tsp, plus more to taste (6 g) salt1 bay leaf
8. 8

   Let the goulash rest off the heat for 5 minutes so the sauce settles and the flavors round out. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve hot.

   1 tbsp (4 g) chopped parsley

Origin & History

Rindergulasch in Germany is closely related to the goulash traditions of Central Europe, especially the Hungarian pörkölt that inspired many regional versions. The German style typically uses plenty of onions, paprika, and a slow braise to create a thick, hearty gravy suited to cool-weather meals and tavern cooking.