Thick red-brown gulasch beef stew with tender beef cubes and onions

Gulasch Beef Stew with Paprika and Caraway

This gulasch beef stew slowly simmers fore shank, onions, sweet paprika, garlic, marjoram, and caraway into a thick sauce.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Austrian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 3 15

Total Time 3 35

Servings servings

Calories 881

Equipment

1 Kitchen Scale for weighing the onions, beef, and lard
1 set Measuring Cups and Spoons for the paprika, tomato purée, and small seasonings
1 Liquid Measuring Cup for measuring the water
1 Cutting Board for chopping the onions and cubing the beef
1 Chef's Knife for chopping and cubing
1 Large Heavy-Bottomed Pot for frying and the long uncovered simmer
1 Wooden Spoon for continuous and occasional stirring
1 Stovetop for frying and simmering
1 Ladle for serving the thick stew and sauce

Ingredients

Gulasch

1 kilogram onions chopped
1 kilogram beef fore shank cut into medium cubes
200 grams lard
1 tablespoon sweet paprika
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 tablespoon tomato purée
½ liter water plus more as needed
1 dash vinegar
1 pinch salt
marjoram to taste
caraway to taste
1 cube beef soup cube optional, for final seasoning

Instructions

Prepare the Onions and Beef

Peel and chop the onions. Cut the beef fore shank into medium-sized cubes.
1 kilogram onions, 1 kilogram beef fore shank

Build the Paprika Base

Heat the lard in a large pot. Fry the onions over high heat, stirring continuously, until golden but not brown.
200 grams lard
Add the sweet paprika and sauté for only 3 seconds. Douse the pot with the vinegar and the 1/2 liter water.
1 tablespoon sweet paprika, 1/2 liter water, 1 dash vinegar

Simmer and Finish the Gulasch

Add the beef. Season with the salt, crushed garlic, tomato purée, marjoram, and caraway. Simmer uncovered for 2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meat is soft but still holds its shape and the sauce is deep red-brown.
2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon tomato purée, 1 pinch salt, marjoram, caraway
Add more water as needed to keep a thick sauce. Taste and add the optional beef soup cube for final seasoning if desired.
1 cube beef soup cube

Notes

Keep the onion color golden rather than brown. Add more water only as needed to maintain a thick sauce, and use the beef soup cube only after tasting.

Nutrition