VIENNESE GULASCH

Viennese gulasch


less than 30 mins
Cooking time
over 2 hours
Serves 6-8


The people of Vienna love gulasch so much they’ve taken the Hungarian dish and made it their own. The secret is to use lots of onion. If you don't like your food too hot, then reduce the amount of paprika to suit you.

100g/3½oz lard
1.25kg/2lb 12oz onions sliced
2 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
1 tbsp tomato purée
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1½ tbsp hot paprika to taste
½ tsp caraway seeds crushed in a pestle and mortar
1 tsp brown sugar
1½ tsp salt
12 turns of the black pepper mill
2 tsp cider vinegar
1.5kg/3lb 5oz shin of beef cut into 3cm/1in pieces
1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

Heat the lard in a large pot and fry the onions until they are deep golden brown. Add the garlic, cook for a minute, then add the tomato purée, paprikas, crushed caraway seeds, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar and cover with 1 litre/1¾ pints of water.

Bring to a boil, then add the beef. Turn down to a gentle simmer and cook for 2½ hours. Check the pan fairly frequently and stir, adding more water to cover the meat if necessary. Check the meat for tenderness, if not tender add a little more water and cook for a little longer. Remove the meat when done and, if needed, continue to cook the liquid to thicken the sauce.
Serve sprinkled with a little chopped parsley with new potatoes, spatzle or dark rye bread.

Peter Franke added the grated zest and juice of one orange.