Fall is here and I say bring on all the comfort food. Pasulj, Krompir Paprikas, Teleca Corba, and all of the other yummy delicious stick-to-your-ribs meals that are so familiar this time of year. And as the days get cooler, nothing helps you fill up and warm up better than a nice big bowl of rich Gulaš. Whether you’re making it with a few different types of meat or just beef, it always tastes so delicious and comforting. It’s definitely one of my favorites.

The men in my family hunt. A lot. And so as you can imagine, I’m very familiar with venison and boar. Gulaš with beef, pork, and venison is probably one of those dishes that just taste like home to me. And if you’ve never had venison, it really does taste like beef but is slightly gamely. Rich. Strong. That’s probably the best way for me to describe it. When I’m home though, in the USA, I make this with beef and pork and let me tell you, it tastes 90% the same. So I don’t really miss the venison all that much after all.

This Gulaš recipe uses simple ingredients, as is common in Balkan cuisine. The only ingredient you will have to find in your local Balkan market or online is the Gulaš seasoning packet. This is for pure convenience; you can also create your own Gulaš seasoning blend. And as with most Balkan dishes, every household has its own preferred blend according to each family’s tastes. So it will vary from home to home.

I hope as the weather turns cooler you reach for this recipe often and let me know on Instagram how you like it!

Gulaš/Balkan-Style Goulash

Recipe by The Balkan HostessCourse: Main Dish, EntréeCuisine: Balkan

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

A delicious stew perfect for chilly days or when you need some comfort.

Ingredients

1 extra large red onion, diced
1 extra large yellow or white onion, diced
3 carrots, chopped
1.5 lbs (700 g) beef chuck or stew meat
1 lb (450 g) pork shoulder
1 Fant seasoning packet (gulas & paprikas flavor)
3 bay leaves
1 lb (450 g) mushrooms, chopped
Oil
Vegeta seasoning
Salt
Black pepper (biber)
Optional – spicy peppers/jalapenos

Directions

Begin by preparing all of your ingredients. Chop and dice the vegetables and cut the meat into medium-sized pieces. Don’t cut the meat too small though as it will shrink as it cooks.
Pour about 4 tablespoons of oil into a large pot. Then add in the onions and carrots. Saute on medium heat until the onions are translucent and the carrots are soft.
Next, add the meat and stir well. Cover the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low and allow the meat to cook for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. The meat will release its juices so don’t worry about it burning/sticking.
After 45 minutes, check the tenderness of the meat. At this point, the meat should still be firm but starting to soften. If it is still very tough cover and continue to cook for another 15-20 minutes.
When the meat has begun to soften, dissolve the seasoning packet into 2 cups (470 ml) of warm water and stir to ensure all of it is dissolved. Pour the seasoned water into the pot, stir, and the bay leaves. At this time also add in Vegeta, salt, and black pepper to taste.
Cover and allow the Gulaš to cook for 1 hour, stirring often. The seasoning packet does contain a thickener and so stirring occasionally will prevent anything from sticking to the bottom. If the liquid is evaporating too quickly, add in water to maintain the same level of liquid as when you poured in the seasoning.
After 1 hour taste the Gulaš and adjust for seasoning. The meat should be very tender and almost falling apart. If it is not, continue cooking until tender.
Next, add in the hot pepper if using and the chopped mushrooms. Stir and cook uncovered until the mushrooms soften.
Serve hot garnished with some fresh or dried parsley on top.