Porkolt

Serves 6

Source: European Peasant Cookery Hungary

2

lb

beef, cut into bite-size pieces

900

grams

2

lb

onions, sliced finely

900

grams

2

oz

lard

55

grams

1

oz

paprika (fresh ground)

28

grams

salt

6

oz

water

190

grams

marjoram or caraway seeds

1

Tbs

wine vinegar

15

ml

Melt the lard in the stewpot. Put the onions to fry gently until golden.
Add the paprika and stir it into the hot fat.
Throw in a little water - the paprika burns easily.
Add the meat. Stir over the heat until the water has evaporated.
Add the salt, herbs, and wine vinegar.
Cover tightly and continue to cook over a very low heat or in the oven at 350°F [180°C].

Check the progress of the stew occasionally, give it a stir, and add the minimum amount of water necessary.
The meat will be soft in an hour or so, depending on the cut chosen.
It is this slow dry stewing which gives the porkolt its unique flavor.

Serve with dumplings or boiled potatoes.

Austrian suggestions:

The Austrians make various additions to this stew, which they call a gulyas (goulash) - this giving rise to the confusion over the soup of the same name. A spoonful of tomato puree is stirred in sometimes to darken the stew, or a crushed clove of garlic, or strips of fresh red or green pepper.

Paprikahendl:

This is simply joints of chicken cooked by the goulash method (cut the time in half if the bird is already cooked).

Wurstelbraten:

The method of cooking is as for the porkolt but instead of cubes of meat use a whole joint of one of the tougher cuts of meat. For a 2 lb [.9 kg] joint (feeds 8 people), make 4 holes the length of the joint with a skewer and push a frankfurter into each hole . Pot roast as for the porkolt. Serve the meat sliced vertically across the sausages. Very pretty.

Kartoffel gulyas:

The same slow pot-roasting method can be adapted for potatoes. For a more substantial meal, slices of frankfurter sausages can be included.

Leftovers:

Best of all as a leftover to begin with -- that is, made the day before
Make little pastry strudels filled with the leftovers -- a delicious Viennese pasty.

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