Beef Cheek Gulyás (Goulash)

🧂 Ingredients

• 1.5 kg beef cheeks

  (approximately - a bit less is fine too)
• 350 g onions

  diced (approx. 4 small onions)
• 4 cloves garlic

  minced
• 3 tbsp Hungarian paprika
• 1 tsp caraway seeds

  left whole or ground, depending on your preference
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

  freshly ground
• 1 tbsp lard or bacon fat

  (substitute vegetable oil if necessary)
• 2 liters water
• 2 medium parsnips

  chopped
• 3 medium carrots

  chopped
• 3 medium potatoes

  peeled and chopped
• 2 Hungarian wax peppers
• 2 medium tomatoes

  chopped
• salt

  to taste (you'll want at least 1.5 tsp)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• fresh marjoram

  to serve (optional)

Instructions

• 1 Cut the beef cheeks into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
• 2 In a large heavy-bottomed pot, melt the lard over medium-high heat. Add the
  onions and stir frequently. Cook until the onions are translucent and
  golden-coloured -- not brown. If the onions do begin to brown or cook too
  quickly, add a little water.
• 3 Add the beef and brown all over, about 3-4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for
  another 30 seconds. Add the paprika, caraway, and black pepper and saute for an
  additional minute, taking care not to overcook the paprika.
• 4 Add the water and bring the gulyás to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. If using
  a slow cooker, follow the variation below from this point forward.
• 5 Simmer the gulyás over low heat until the meat is starting becoming tender --
  about 2-3 hours.
• 6 Add the parsnips and potatoes to the pot and simmer for an additional hour, or
  until both are fairly soft.
• 7 Add the carrots and peppers and simmer for an additional 30 minutes, or until
  the carrots are fairly soft.
• 8 Immediately before serving, add the tomatoes and csipetke (if using) and simmer
  for 10-15 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked but still a little firm.
  Serve and garnish with a little fresh marjoram, if you like.
• 9 Follow steps 1-4 as in the stove top version.
• 10 Once the gulyás is simmering, transfer it to a slow cooker and place on low for
  6 hours, or high for 3-4 hours.  The beef should be fairly tender but not
  falling apart.
• 11 Add the potatoes and parsnips and cook on low for an additional 2 hours, or high
  for an additional hour.
• 12 Add the carrots and peppers and simmer on low for an additional hour or so, or
  on high for 30 minutes.
• 13 Stir in the tomatoes and csipetke (if using) and simmer for 15 minutes, or until
  the csipetke are cooked but still a little firm. Serve and garnish with a little
  fresh marjoram, if you like.
• 14 Follow steps 1-3 as in the stove top version, but saute the ingredients in the
  Instant Pot (or other multi-function electric pressure cooker) and only add half
  (1 L) of the water.
• 15 Seal the pressure cooker and set to cook at high-pressure for 40 minutes.  Allow
  the pressure to release naturally, or wait 10 minutes then manually release.
• 16 Once the pressure has released, add the parsnips, potatoes, and remaining water
  to the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for an additional 5 minutes. 
  Allow the pressure to release naturally again, or wait 10 minutes then manually
  release.
• 17 Remove the lid from the pot and add the carrots and peppers.  Set the pressure
  cooker to saute and cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the carrots are
  fork-tender.
• 18 Immediately before serving, add the tomatoes and csipetke (if using) and simmer
  for 10-15 minutes, or until the noodles are cooked but still a little firm.
  Serve and garnish with a little fresh marjoram, if you like.
  
• 19 In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, egg, and salt. Knead together with
  your hands for about 5 minutes until the dough has formed a uniform, springy
  ball. Add a bit of flour if the mixture is too wet, or a bit of water if it's
  too dry.
• 20 Flour a surface and roll the dough out into a large flat round. Pinch off small
  pieces of dough with your fingertips and form them into roughly oblong balls.
  Place on a floured surface and let stand for 10-15 minutes.
• 21 Cook by dropping into salted boiling water until they float, or by placing
  directly into the gulyás.

Nutrition Info