Over a year ago, I was walking through our local Kmart and found a big display of Martha Stewart items that were being discontinued. Amongst all of the boxes of kitchen and tableware, were 4 quart enamel coated cast iron Dutch ovens. For $19.99!! I picked one up for my mom, but not for me. Then, earlier this year, I used a CSN Stores gift certificate that I had won and got myself a 4 quart Kitchen-Aid Dutch oven. On Cyber Monday, a few weeks ago, I found a special on Walmart.com: a 6.5 quart enamel coated Tramontina Dutch oven for $33! Though none of them are the famous LeCrueset, they are all high quality and work wonderfully for making stews, roasts and goulash. We have eaten many a wonderful meal made in these pots.
I am so excited to share this recipe with you today. It was given to my family from an actual Austrian family. This dish had been in their family for generations and believe me, it is delicious. As strange as it sounds to use as many onions as it calls for, the onions will “melt” down to nothing but a thick sauce by the time the cook time is over. Even die-hard onion haters will love it. Trust me.
To be authentic, it should have been served with homemade noodles. To be gluten free, however, it needed to be served over mashed potatoes. This saucy beef would be great on a Kaiser roll or rice. Seriously, the flavor and the tender meat could stand alone.
1. Info for Viennese Goulash
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 2 hr
- Servings: 6
- Calories: 426kcal
2. Ingredients for Viennese Goulash
- Onions (the same amount as meat – volume for volume- this makes the sauce)
- 2-4 Tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika (sufficient amount to give a rich color to the cooked onions)
- Lean Beef (plan on ½ pound per person), cut into cubes
- 2-3 bay leaves
- noodles (homemade is best, but use what is easiest)
- salt and pepper to taste
3. Directions:
- In the Dutch oven, saute the onions in the butter until clear, NOT brown.
- Add the paprika.
- Watch carefully after adding the paprika as it will burn very easily.
- Add the beef and brown on all sides. (Browning the meat can be done in a separate pan if you are worried about burning the onion)
- Add 1 cup of water, the bay leaves and crushed caraway seeds.
- Cover and put into the oven at 250 degrees for 6 hours.
- Check it every two hours to make sure that it doesn’t stick and still has liquid.
- Add more water if necessary.
4. Tips and advices:
- If you are like me and often forget to thaw your roasts, you can put a whole frozen roast on top of the softened onions. Cover and bake for 4 hours at 325. Cut the meat after removing it from the oven.