Hungarian Goulash

A big pot of something warm simmering on a cold day lifts my soul and makes everything better. I make some soups and beans, but I didn't have a huge amount of recipes for cold day meals, so when I came across this Slow-Cooker Hungarian Beef Goulash recipe on Pinterest, I knew it was one I needed to try. The final product reminded me of the Hungarian Goulash that I remember from my childhood in Germany. It was rich and thick and aromatic, and warmed the body and the soul. Add a nice warm slice of the Rustic No-Knead Bread that I just blogged and is pictured above and you have an amazing meal!

2 lbs beef stew meat, trimmed and cubed
2 tsp caraway seeds
2 Tbsp sweet or hot paprika (or a mixture of the two)
1/2 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups reduced sodium beef broth
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Dice beef into bite size pieces, and place beef in a 4-quart slow cooker.

Crush caraway seeds with a mortar and pestle (or you can use the bottom of a saucepan or meat tenderizer). Add paprika, salt and pepper, and stir to combine.

 

 Sprinkle the beef with the spice mixture and toss to coat well.  

Add onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce and garlic to slow cooker. 

Place bay leaves on top. Cover and cook until the beef is very tender, 4-1/2 to 5 hours on high or 7 to 7-1/2 hours on low.

Discard the bay leaves. Add the cornstarch mixture to the stew and cook on high, stirring 2 or 3 times, until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Sprinkle fresh diced parsley over goulash before serving.