Easy pork goulash recipe with special dumplings. Video included.

Not all recipes for goulash have been created equally. Caraway and fresh parsley mixed into the dumplings, beer into the sauce, lots of peppers and paprika make this easy pork goulash recipe something special. If you really don’t want to go to the trouble of making dumplings, then substitute with diced potato, but the texture and flavour that these dumplings bring to the dish is worth the effort.

Traditionally, the powder caraway (or cumin) goes together with the rest of the ingredients into the sauce. I however chose to use it to flavour the dumplings and together with the fresh parsley, they work wonderfully with the sauce of the goulash.

Using beer is optional. It can be substituted with water, but beer gives the dish a deeper fuller flavour. In the case of paprika, the choice is again yours, I’ve used sweet paprika, but hot or smoked can also work.

Below there’s a short video of this recipe, and the list of ingredients and procedure follows.

Easy pork goulash recipe with special dumplings. Video included.

Prep time

10 mins

Cook time

75 mins

Total time

1 hour 25 mins

Author: Intrepid Eats

Serves: 2

Ingredients

400 grams diced pork (collar, or shoulder steak works best as it cooks faster)
200 grams onion
200 grams carrots
150 grams sweet red pepper
2-3 garlic cloves (optional)
1 egg
white flour
50 ml oil
250 ml beer
1 teaspoon tomato paste
salt, pepper, sweet paprika, ground caraway, thyme
fresh parsley

Start by heating up the oil in a heavy bottomed pot, preferably cast iron. Heat up the oil quite well. Get the meat brown on all sides. I’ve used pork collar (shoulder steak) as it cooks much faster than other cuts, but pork leg or belly are also good. These cuts will need some extra cooking time to soften.
Follow with the vegetables. Diced onion and peppers, rounds of thinly sliced carrots. Also, if used, thinly sliced garlic. Soften a few minutes in the pot.
Season to taste with salt, pepper and paprika. In my case I’ve used one teaspoon of paprika, half a teaspoon of salt and a quarter of a teaspoon of black pepper. Don’t over do it, salt and pepper can be added later or at the end of the cooking. Mix well for a few seconds. Add the dried thyme and tomato paste.
Now pour in the beer. Also add the same amount of water. Just enough to cover the meat and vegetables in the pot. Cover and simmer gently for about one hour or until the meat is soft and tender.
For the dumplings beat the egg well until it starts to froth. Season with a pinch of salt and a quarter teaspoon of caraway or cumin. Mix in the white flour, until you get to a soft dough, not too thin but also not thick. They need to stay on the spoon and keep together in the sauce whilst cooking. Mix in the fresh chopped parsley.
Using a spoon drop the dumplings into the sauce and cook, gently again for 15 minutes (turn over half way) until they are soft and fluffy. Garnish with fresh parsley over the top and serve.

Serve with fresh crusty bread, nice pickles or a fresh salads, and a shot of plum brandy to get the appetite juices flowing.