Schröttner's Goulash

Here is a recipe for authentic Austrian Goulash I learned to make from my grandmother and mother. Every family has its own version of Goulash. My family would NEVER consider tomatoes or green peppers or other spices in Goulash. Some other dishes would have tomato or green pepper, but not Goulash. Slow cooking is the secret  and how much paprika you use is up to you. I like to use 3-4 tablespoons. Hope you enjoy this dish, I was raised on it.

Goulash with Spätzle

3 pounds Beef Shin (as an alternative, you can use any meat from the beef shoulder)

1 ½ pounds Onions

2-3 cloves Garlic

1 ½  tablespoons Tomato paste  

3 tablespoons Paprika - Sweet

1 tablespoon Paprika - Spicy

½ tablespoon Marjoram

1-2 Bay Leaves

½ cup Vegetable Oil

2 tablespoons Flour

1 cup Apple Cider or White Vinegar

Water

Salt and Pepper to taste

Add a little bit of oil into a large hot pot. Add the onions and let them cook down for a few minutes until caramelized. This process takes some time, so don't rush! Add the rest of the dry ingredients. Use more sweet paprika than spicy paprika.

The dry ingredients will start sticking to the bottom, that’s where deglazing comes in. Add a little Apple Cider or White Vinegar and stir until the bottom is loosened and the ingredients are well mixed. Repeat this process 3 or 4 times. This should take about a half an hour, but again take as much time as needed for the flavors to roast together and for it to develop a dark red color.

Cut the beef into 1 to 2 inch cubes (or have your butcher cut it for you) and add to the pot. Shin meat is the best because it has a lot of cartilage and connective tissue. With slow cooking, this gives meat a wonderful silky texture and further tenderizes the meat.  If you can't get shin, any meat from the beef shoulder will do.

Add water, covering about an inch above the ingredients and simmer for 2 and a half to 3 hours. You are looking for the beef to be tender, but not quite falling apart. In the meantime, feel free to enjoy a beer or two.

After simmering, remove the beef from the sauce. Blend the sauce with an immersion blender. This melds all the flavors completely and gives the sauce a silky consistency . You can thicken it further with a little flour.

Store it overnight in the refrigerator. You can eat it fresh, but any Austrian will tell you a reheated Goulash the next day is so much better.