Marha Pörkölt — Print Recipe

Slow-braised beef chunks in a thick, deeply paprika-infused onion sauce — the robust, no-liquid-added Hungarian stew that defines hearty cooking.

Ingredients

1kg beef chuck, cut into 3cm cubes
4 large onions, finely diced
3 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
1 tsp hot Hungarian paprika
2 tbsp vegetable oil or butter
2 green peppers, diced
1 large tomato, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp caraway seeds
Salt and black pepper
Water as needed

Instructions

1 Heat oil in a heavy pot. Sauté diced onions over medium-low heat for 15-20 min until completely soft and translucent.
2 Remove from heat, add both paprikas, and stir for 30 seconds to bloom the spice without burning.
3 Return to heat, add beef cubes. Stir to coat in the paprika-onion mixture. Cook 5 min.
4 Add green peppers, tomato, garlic, and caraway seeds. Season with salt.
5 Cover tightly and cook on very low heat for 1.5-2 hours, stirring occasionally. The onions and meat juices should create enough liquid — add water only if needed.
6 The pörkölt is done when the beef is fork-tender and the sauce is thick and deeply colored. Serve with nokedli.

Did You Know?

Unlike goulash (which is a soup), pörkölt is a thick stew — this distinction is one of the most common culinary misunderstandings about Hungarian cuisine.