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Prepare the meat: Wash the beef, pat dry, and cut into 3-4 cm cubes. Season with salt and pepper.
Brown the onions – The key:
Peel the onions and finely dice them. It’s hard work, but it’s worth it!
In a large, heavy pot or roasting pan (cast iron is best), heat the lard (or oil) over medium heat.
Fry the diced onions until golden brown to a light caramel color. This can take 20-30 minutes and is the most important step for the flavor and consistency of the goulash. Stir regularly to prevent burning. Optionally, add a pinch of sugar to promote caramelization.
Brown the meat:
Remove the onions from the pot and set aside.
Heat the remaining lard (add a little if necessary) in the pot and sear the beef in batches until it has a nice crust on all sides. Don’t add too many pieces to the pot at once, or it will cool too much and the meat will boil instead of frying. Set the browned meat aside as well.
Toast the paprika and spices:
Remove the pot from the heat briefly to prevent the paprika from burning (otherwise it will become bitter!).
Return the reserved onions to the pot.
Add paprika powder (sweet and hot), cumin, marjoram, and optionally caraway seeds and cook briefly (about 30 seconds) while stirring until fragrant. The heat should be low.
Add the chopped garlic and, optionally, the tomato paste and cook briefly.
Deglaze and braise:
Return the browned meat to the pot.
Deglaze with a small splash of beef broth (or water) and loosen any browning from the bottom of the pot.
Add the diced bell peppers and tomatoes (or canned tomatoes).
Top up with the remaining beef broth so the meat is well covered. Optionally, add the bay leaves.
Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat so the goulash is simmering gently.
Cover the pot and let the goulash simmer for at least 2.5 to 3 hours (or longer!), until the meat is buttery tender and almost falls apart. The longer it cooks, the more tender it becomes!
Stir occasionally and check if there is still enough liquid in the pot. Add a little more stock or water if necessary.
Seasoning and Serving:
When the meat is tender, remove the bay leaves.
Season the goulash with salt and pepper. The sauce should be nice and creamy thanks to the cooked onions and the meat juices. If it’s too thin, let it simmer uncovered for a while. If it’s too thick, add a little more stock.
The goulash tastes best reheated, as the flavors will have developed even better.
Side Dish Suggestions:
Goulash according to Grandma Magda’s recipe goes perfectly with:
Boiled potatoes or jacket potatoes
Dumplings (bread dumplings, potato dumplings)
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