Czech
Czech Beef Goulash
Czech beef goulash with tender chuck in an onion-thickened paprika, caraway, garlic, and marjoram gravy.
8 servings · 30 minutes prep · 70 minutes cook
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 3 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 1/2 teaspoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons lard
- 2 pounds yellow onions, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tablespoons sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 teaspoon hot paprika
- 1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds, lightly crushed
- 1 teaspoon dried marjoram, divided
- 4 cups unsalted beef stock, heated, plus more if needed
Directions
Brown the Beef
- Pat the beef dry and season it with 2 teaspoons salt and the pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon lard in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in three uncrowded batches, 4 to 5 minutes per batch, adding another tablespoon lard as needed; transfer each batch to a bowl.
Cook Down the Onions
- Add the remaining lard and onions. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often and scraping the pot, until the onions collapse into a deep golden-brown paste, 35 to 45 minutes. Do not rush this stage or let them scorch.
Bloom the Paprika and Spices
- Stir in the garlic, sweet paprika, hot paprika, caraway, and 1/2 teaspoon marjoram for 20 seconds. Immediately add 1 cup hot stock to prevent the paprika from burning, then scrape up the fond.
Braise and Finish
- Return the beef and its juices to the pot and add enough remaining stock to barely cover it. Bring to a simmer, partially cover, and cook over low heat until the beef is spoon-tender and the onions have dissolved into the gravy, 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours. Stir every 20 minutes and add hot stock only as needed to keep the meat mostly submerged.
- Uncover and simmer, stirring frequently, until the onion-rich gravy is glossy and lightly coats the beef, 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon marjoram and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Rest off the heat for 20 minutes, then adjust the salt and hot paprika. The finished gravy should be brick red and pourable rather than pasty; ladle it generously with each portion.
