Name: Trentino Goulash Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Yield: 5
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 3.3 lbs beef (chuck or neck); 2.2 lbs white onions; 2/3 cup red wine; 4 tbsp tomato paste; as needed all-purpose flour; 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 3 tbsp butter; 1 tbsp sweet paprika (heaping); 1 clove garlic (or 1/4 tsp dehydrated garlic); 1 leaf bay leaf; 1.5 tsp cumin seeds; 1 1/3 tbsp white wine vinegar; pinch marjoram; as needed salt; as needed black pepper; 1/2 tsp hot paprika; 6 1/3 cups vegetable broth (you won't use it all, but it's better to have some on hand)

Trentino goulash or Italian-style goulash, my grandmother Fernanda’s recipe. Goulash, also called Goulash or Gulasch, is a meat stew typical of Hungarian cuisine: a spicy and flavorful dish based on beef, onions, paprika and cumin. In its original version, the Hungarian Goulash (Gulyás-leves) was a poor dish: a meat soup with potatoes, lard and sometimes peppers, also called the “shepherd’s soup”. It was a hearty and energy-rich meal, cooked over wood fires in large cauldrons to sustain the body during long, cold transhumances. Over time, the Hungarian goulash recipe spread across Europe, particularly to Germany, Austria and Trentino, changing a little. Here we are: my grandmother Fernanda was from Trentino and her Goulash was one of the Sunday main dishes, to be served with mashed potatoes or polenta, just like roast pork shank, or my beloved speck dumplings. Creamy and enveloping, the Italian-style Goulash recipe is quite simple: just follow the steps and measure paprika and cumin well to get a perfect Goulash! The most famous is the beef goulash, tender and succulent, but you could also make it with deer, veal or roe deer and even fish. Grandma, however, made it only with beef and coated the meat in flour to obtain a dish with a rich, tasty sauce, perfect for dipping homemade bread. Let’s go to the kitchen — I’m sure this dish I adore, which reminds me so much of my father and grandmother, will win you over at the first bite. Before we start cooking, remember that if you want to stay updated on new recipes you can follow my Facebook page and my Instagram profile.

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Difficulty: Very easy
Cost: Very inexpensive
Preparation time: 10 Minutes
Portions: 5
Cooking methods: Stovetop
Cuisine: Italian

Ingredients for making goulash

3.3 lbs beef (chuck or neck)
2.2 lbs white onions
2/3 cup red wine
4 tbsp tomato paste
as needed all-purpose flour
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp sweet paprika (heaping)
1 clove garlic (or 1/4 tsp dehydrated garlic)
1 leaf bay leaf
1.5 tsp cumin seeds
1 1/3 tbsp white wine vinegar
pinch marjoram
as needed salt
as needed black pepper
1/2 tsp hot paprika
6 1/3 cups vegetable broth (you won't use it all, but it's better to have some on hand)

Tools

Pots
Stovetop

Preparation

To make Trentino goulash, start by peeling and slicing the onions. Put them in a large heavy-bottomed pot, add the butter, salt and oil and let them soften over low heat. Cut the beef into pieces of about 50 g (about 1.8 oz), transfer the pieces into a container, add the flour and toss so each piece is well coated.
Once the onion has softened, add the floured pieces of meat, shaking off any excess flour first. Let them brown briefly to develop flavor.
Add the tomato paste and the bay leaf, stir and add the paprika. Pour in the wine and then
the vinegar and deglaze over high heat. Once the alcohol from the wine has evaporated, add enough broth to cover the meat, stir and cover with a lid. Cook for about 2½ hours over very low heat on a medium or small burner, adding more broth as needed. Half an hour before the meat is done, add the garlic and the remaining spices and mix well.
Continue cooking for 30 minutes more, then turn off the stove and let rest for 20–30 minutes with the lid on before serving with mashed potatoes, polenta or simply a good piece of bread to mop up the sauce.