2 to 3 tablespoons
vegetable or other neutral-flavored cooking oil
2
large onions, sliced
1/2 cup
ketchup or tomato sauce
1/4 cup
apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons
smoked or sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon
hot paprika
3/4 teaspoon
ground mustard
1 tablespoon
Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon
brown sugar
1 cup
water or beef stock, plus more as needed
Directions
Mix flour, salt, and pepper in a large plate or shallow, wide glass dish. Cover meat in a light dusting of flour mixture.
Heat the oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear meat on all sides until brown and slightly caramelized. Add additional oil as needed. Remove from pan and set aside.
Add sliced onions to pan and sauté for 8 to 10 minutes, until translucent, scraping up brown bits as you go.
While onions are cooking, combine ketchup, apple cider vinegar, spices, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and 1 cup water or stock in a small bowl. Add this sauce to pan with onions and simmer 1 to 2 minutes.
Add seared meat back to the pan, lower heat to low, and simmer for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, or until meat is tender. Add more water or stock as needed.
You did not specify whether to cook with lid on or off. Also, prep time is more than 10 minutes, I had to brown the meat in 3 batches and that takes time. We enjoyed it and will make again.
This recipe was in the FIRST Betty Crocker cookbook that I ever got and, yes, it is an Americanized version of goulash. But it is delicious and tasty to the palate that was raised in that era. I understand revisiting old standby recipes, just like old friends. I think this is on my menu for this week! Thanks for reminding me!
Not so good. It tasted like meatloaf. I followed the recipe measurements exactly. Sweet, vinegary, almost ketchupy, and I didn't use ketchup. Oh well, I will keep trying to find a good goulash recipe.
There was a story witth the recipe- it came from a Betty Crocker cookbook from the 50's, authenticity isn't to be expected. Hard to say what's "authentic" anyway- the dish has been made in Hungary, and in various versions all over Europe, for hundreds of years- long before paprika or tomatoes were known there- and has gone through any number of iterations.
See what other Food52ers are saying.