First, let me make this clear - there is no such thing as 'the authentic Hungarian goulash' - in the same way as there's no such thing as 'the original French wine'. Basically, there are almost as many variations of the dish as there are grandmothers in Hungary. If you come across a recipe that calls itself authentic, I can guarantee that it was composed by an American (with a Hungarian great-uncle-in-law) or an Italian, Swede, Bantu; but never a Hungarian.


For example, many people claim that a 'genuine Hungarian' recipe would never include tomatoes or bell peppers; well generally that's the case, but no chef in Hungary would go to jail for doing it and in certain places, such as Pecs and around Lake Balaton, where there is an abundance of tomatoes, a tomato goulash is very common.
Let me share with you my favourite (because its the simplest) recipe:




1lb Stewing Beef – roughly chopped
1 Medium Onion

2 (heaped) Tbsp. Paprika (at least)
Beef stock (12fl. oz. – 0.36l)

4 or 5 potatoes – roughly diced
Pinch or 2 of salt


Magyar Gulyas, or Hungarian Goulash, is a beef and potato stew flavoured with paprika and that's basically it. It does not (usually) contain tomatoes and is not served over noodles, since it contains its own potato accompaniment. This is a very easy dish and is prepared in a single pot – but you must not be shy with the paprika.


Start by frying some of the fat from the meat until crisp in a large frying pan with a lid. Then brown the stewing beef. Use the cheap stuff, its better than sirloin, etc. which breaks up too easily - trust me. Remove the browned beef and saute a chopped small to medium onion. A little extra oil may be necessary.


Add about two tablespoons of paprika to the onion and stir, then return the beef to the skillet. Pour in beef stock, stir, cover, and simmer for about two hours. At the end of this time, the beef should be tender. Test it to make sure.


Peel potatoes and dice into 1/2-inch cubes. Add to the beef, stir and adjust the liquid with water so the potatoes are covered. Cover and simmer. The gulyas is done when the potatoes are soft (15-25 minutes). Taste the liquid and add salt and possibly more paprika to taste.