yumiam

Yumiam recipe · German classic

Beef goulash

As much onion as meat, paprika stirred in off the heat, and not a spoonful of flour. Two and a half hours during which there is nothing to do.

Prep
25 min
Cook
2 hr 30 min
Serves
4 servings
Difficulty
Easy
A cast-iron pot of beef goulash, large chunks of meat in a dark glossy sauce
Three choices we made

Beef goulash is braising steak and an equal weight of onions, simmered for two and a half hours over low heat. The paprika goes in off the heat so it does not turn bitter, and no flour is needed: the onions collapse completely and thicken the sauce by themselves.

  • A kilo of onions to a kilo of meat — they are the thickener, not a garnish.
  • Paprika is stirred in off the heat, or it turns bitter.
  • No flour, no cornflour — after two and a half hours the sauce coats a spoon on its own.

Recipe written by Yumiam. The words, the quantities and the method are ours.

Method

  1. Brown the meat

    Brown the beef cubes in three batches in the lard, then set them aside. The pot has to stay hot between batches.

  2. Soften the onions

    Put the sliced onions into the same pot and let them soften for twenty minutes over low heat, until golden.

  3. Add the paprika

    Take the pot off the heat, stir in the paprika, caraway and garlic, then deglaze immediately with the vinegar.

    The detail that decides it: paprika burns above a hundred degrees and turns bitter. That is why it goes in off the heat and is deglazed straight away.

  4. Simmer for two and a half hours

    Return the meat, pour in stock until barely covered and simmer covered, on the lowest heat, for two and a half hours.

  5. Adjust

    Take the lid off for the last half hour if the sauce is still thin. Season with salt and pepper.

Good to know

Keeping it

Four days in the fridge, and it is better on the second day. It freezes well.

What to serve with it

Boiled potatoes, spätzle or bread. Anything that takes the sauce.

In the oven

140 °C in a covered pot for three hours — nothing left to watch.

This recipe, in your week

Find it in the app, drop it on a day, and its ingredients join your list — no duplicates, in the order of your shop.

Download Yumiam

Frequently asked questions

Why so many onions?

Because they are what thickens the dish. They break down completely and give the sauce its body. With fewer onions you need flour, and the result tastes flatter.

Can I thicken it with flour?

You can, but it is not necessary and it masks the flavour. If the sauce is still thin after two and a half hours, half an hour uncovered is enough.

Which cut of beef works best?

Well-marbled braising cuts such as chuck or shin. Lean cuts from the leg dry out and turn stringy over a long braise.