Spicy, Peppery Beef Goulash

Larry was in the mood for steak, but we eat a lot of steak. I was in the mood for something else. Originally I was going to make beef stroganoff, but I didn’t have any sour cream and my yogurt had turned into a science experiment, so that was out. No problem. I quickly changed gears and made a spicy, peppery beef goulash instead. I served mine over noodles this time, but you can also serve it over mashed potatoes, which I also do quite frequently.

Goulash is yet another poor man’s food, coming to us from Eastern Europe, and specifically Hungary. Goulash was the food for Hungarian shepherds, and the name goulash, gulyás means herdsmen. This dish became popular in the 9th century, but it is vastly different today.

Earlier versions of goulash did not include paprika. Today, goulash is known for its use of paprika, or a seasoning made from dried, crushed sweet peppers. Peppers were not introduced to Southern Europe until the 16th century. Today, paprika is a key ingredient to Hungarian and many Eastern European dishes. Onions are also a large part of Hungarian foods and goulash, but again, they were not introduced to Europe until the 16 century, so they were not part of the earlier versions of goulash either. Same with tomatoes. Peppers, onions and tomatoes were all introduced to Europe after Christopher Columbus made his American explorations. I personally am very thankful for the culinary treasures Christopher Columbus brought back with him. I use them ALL the time, in most of my cooking. 🙂

Spicy, Peppery Beef Goulash

As the name implies, I added a variety of peppers to this dish. I of course used a fair amount of paprika, as well as black pepper, red pepper flakes, and then I added a roasted red pepper and some small, sweet Peruvian peppers too. And of course, there were onions and tomatoes added to the mix as well.

2-2 1/2 lbs meat, sliced into thin strips

1-2 TBSP garlic

1 onion, sliced very thin

1-1 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced – or smaller Campari tomatoes cut in half

4-6 mushrooms, sliced

1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1-2 cups chicken stock

1 cup dry red wine

salt & pepper to taste

flour to coat the meat

1-2 TBSP paprika

1-2 TBSP Peruvian peppers, optional

butter and olive oil to cook the meat

Coat the meat with salt, pepper, paprika and flour. Get a large skillet very hot, then add olive oil and butter and brown the meat completely. Once the meat is completely browned, remove it from the heat and set aside.

Deglaze the pan with the wine.

Add the mushrooms, onions and garlic and cook for about 2 minutes, or until softened.

Add the chicken stock and mix together thoroughly. Then re-add the meat and the tomatoes and peppers, and adjust the seasonings as needed. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for an additional 10-15 minutes, stirring frequently.

When everything is cooked, add to either mashed potatoes or cooked noodles, like wide egg noodles. I added some hot sourdough bread on the side, and the same dry red wine I used for the sauce. Delicious!

I always have a back-up plan. When things don’t go as planned for Plan A, switch to Plan B. Be creative and think on the fly. Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.