Transylvanian Goulash
By Christie MorrisonPublished on October 17, 2016
Time
1½ hours
Yield
Serves 6 to 8
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Pork butt roast is often labeled Boston butt in the supermarket. Since paprika is vital to the success of this recipe, it is best to use a fresh bottle. Do not substitute hot or smoked Spanish paprika for the sweet paprika called for here. Eden Organic jarred sauerkraut is the test kitchen’s favorite sauerkraut. Rinsing the sauerkraut reduces its sharp flavor and bite; if you prefer sharper sauerkraut flavor, omit this step. Serve with white rice, if desired.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat pork dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes; transfer to bowl. (Reduce heat if bottom of pot begins to scorch.) Repeat with remaining pork.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, tomato, and ½ teaspoon salt to now-empty pot and cook until vegetables are softened and liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add paprika, caraway seeds, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in water and pork and any accumulated juices and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook for 1 hour. Stir in sauerkraut, cover, return pot to oven, and continue to cook until pork is fully tender, about 30 minutes longer.
- Using wide spoon, skim off any surface fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, garnished with sour cream and dill.
Time
1½ hoursYield
Serves 6 to 8Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
This hearty, brick-colored stew—a close cousin to Hungarian goulash—opts for rich, marbled pork shoulder, rather than beef, as its base. Earthy paprika lent its trademark color and intensity. Browning the chunks of pork in batches developed a flavorful fond that was further enhanced by aromatic vegetables like onion, celery, green bell pepper, and garlic. While we often add chicken stock to a braise to add savory depth, we preferred water in this goulash, as it allowed the variety of flavors to shine. We introduced sauerkraut—another staple ingredient in Transylvanian goulash—toward the end of cooking to balance the richness of the pork; rinsing the sauerkraut helped tame the tang. A few tablespoons of dill added freshness to the deeply flavored stew.
Before You Begin
Pork butt roast is often labeled Boston butt in the supermarket. Since paprika is vital to the success of this recipe, it is best to use a fresh bottle. Do not substitute hot or smoked Spanish paprika for the sweet paprika called for here. Eden Organic jarred sauerkraut is the test kitchen’s favorite sauerkraut. Rinsing the sauerkraut reduces its sharp flavor and bite; if you prefer sharper sauerkraut flavor, omit this step. Serve with white rice, if desired.
Instructions
- Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Pat pork dry with paper towels and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.
- Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add half of pork and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes; transfer to bowl. (Reduce heat if bottom of pot begins to scorch.) Repeat with remaining pork.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add onion, bell pepper, celery, tomato, and ½ teaspoon salt to now-empty pot and cook until vegetables are softened and liquid has evaporated, 8 to 10 minutes, scraping up any browned bits.
- Add paprika, caraway seeds, and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in water and pork and any accumulated juices and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Cover, transfer to oven, and cook for 1 hour. Stir in sauerkraut, cover, return pot to oven, and continue to cook until pork is fully tender, about 30 minutes longer.
- Using wide spoon, skim off any surface fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, garnished with sour cream and dill.
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