Rindergulasch (German beef goulash)

Name: Rindergulasch (German beef goulash)
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 195 min
Total time: 220 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 1 3/4 lb beef shin or shoulder (Wade oder Schulter) beef shank, raw, cut into 3 cm (1 1/4-inch) cubes; 1 tsp salt; 2 tbsp Butterschmalz or ghee ghee; 4 medium onions, halved and sliced; 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced; 2 tbsp tomato paste; 2 tbsp paprika, sweet (edelsüß); 2 tsp dried marjoram; 1 bay leaf; 1/2 tsp black pepper; 3/4 cup + 1 tbsp red wine, dry; 2 cups beef broth, low-sodium; 1 3/4 lb gold potatoes, peeled, halved; 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Germany's everyday braise: cubes of beef cooked slowly with a mountain of onions, sweet paprika, marjoram and red wine until the onions melt into a deep, glossy gravy, with boiled potatoes to soak it all up. It takes its time on the stove and tastes even better the next day.

Time: 220 min (25 prep + 195 cook)
Servings: 4
Per serving: 525 kcal
Protein: 48 g

Servings4

Ingredients

1 3/4 lb beef shin or shoulder (Wade oder Schulter) beef shank, raw, cut into 3 cm (1 1/4-inch) cubes
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp Butterschmalz or ghee ghee
4 medium onions, halved and sliced
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 tbsp tomato paste
2 tbsp paprika, sweet (edelsüß)
2 tsp dried marjoram
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup + 1 tbsp red wine, dry
2 cups beef broth, low-sodium

To serve

1 3/4 lb gold potatoes, peeled, halved
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Steps

Pat the beef dry and season it with the salt. Heat the Butterschmalz in a heavy casserole over high heat and brown the beef in two batches, about 5 minutes each, until deep brown on at least two sides. Lift it out.
Turn the heat to medium, add the onions with a splash of water and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, scraping up the browned bits, until soft and golden. Add the garlic for the last minute.
Stir in the tomato paste for 1 minute. Take the pot off the heat, stir in the paprika (it turns bitter if it scorches), then add the marjoram, bay leaf and pepper.
Return the beef and its juices, pour in the wine and let it bubble for 2 minutes, then add the broth. Bring to a bare simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook very gently for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, until the beef is tender and the onions have melted into the gravy. If it looks dry, add a splash of water.
About 30 minutes before the end, boil the potatoes in salted water for about 20 minutes, until tender, and drain.
Remove the bay leaf. If the gravy is thin, simmer it uncovered for 10 minutes. Taste for salt, scatter with parsley and serve with the potatoes. It keeps 4 days in the fridge; the goulash without the potatoes freezes for 3 months.

Good to know

Which cut should I buy?

Shin (Wade) or shoulder. Their gelatine melts into the gravy over the long simmer and keeps the meat soft. Very lean leg meat tends to dry out in a stew this long.

Can I make it without wine?

Yes; use more beef broth and a teaspoon of red wine vinegar. It comes out at about the same score.

What else goes with it?

Spätzle, noodles, bread dumplings or a sharp cucumber salad are all classic. A spoonful of sour cream on top is common too.

Alternative

66Sauerbraten, the sweet-sour Sunday version of a German beef braiseSauerbraten (German sweet-sour pot roast)

Per

Calories: 82
Protein: (38%); 8 g
Fat: (26%); 2 g
Carbohydrates: (37%); 8 g
of which sugar: 2 g
Fiber: 1 g
Sodium: 188 mg

About 5% of the alcohol remains after cooking; the label counts only that.

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Computed from the ingredients with our published formula, not yet kitchen-tested. How

As written, 2101 kcal goes into the pot and 3000 g of ingredients comes out as about 2550 g of food: 82 kcal per 100 g. Cooking moves water and energy density is the score's biggest lever, so the dish is scored as cooked, not as an average of its parts. Every ingredient links to its food page, with the same data and score. The label's percentages are each macronutrient's share of the calories. The full formula.

Rindergulasch (German beef goulash)