Corona Home Cooking: Tyrol Goulash

In uncertain times such as these, there’s nothing like a comfort dish to keep the nerves at bay. One of our favorites that we’ve been cooking up in our farmhouse kitchen recently is Tyrol Goulash, a beef dish which comes from the Tyrol region of Austria.

This goulash may be hearty, but it’s certainly not heavy, making it perfect for temperamental May weather. Plus, it freezes well, so feel free to make a double batch and save the second for another night.

It’s also always easy to mix this dish up depending on what you choose to pair with it, so every night’s serving can be unique. We recommend serving with spätzle, a German pasta, or other similar noodles. Potatoes – especially mashed – also make for a great pairing, as well as rice.

Read more: Corona Home Cooking: Lamb Shanks with Cannellini Beans

In Austria, it’s commonly served as is, like a thick stew, but it can also be diluted with water to make a delicious beef soup.

Regardless of how you choose to customize this dish, it’s always a crowd-pleaser. Enjoy, let us know how yours came out by emailing us at info@mountsalemkitchen.com, or dropping us a line on our Instagram and Facebook pages!

Tyrol Goulash

Ingredients (serves 4-6 people)

• 2 lbs. Beef, ideally boneless chuck, cut into 2” by 2” pieces (pat dry with paper towels)
• Salt, pepper
• 3 T. Olive Oil
• 4 Medium Carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 Medium Yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 4 T. All-purpose flour
• 1 750 ml. Bottle of red wine, preferably young, such as a Blaufränkisch or Zweigelt
• 2 T. Paprika (Sweet)
• 5 T. Tomato paste mixed in ¾ C. of water
• 10 oz. Mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thickly
• 2 Bushy branches of thyme
• 2 Bay leaves

Instructions

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid, add olive oil and turn heat to medium or
   medium high. When hot, add enough of the beef to cover the pan, but leave enough room
   for pieces to emit liquid (imagine a checker board; don’t cover the bottom completely).
   Brown the beef, about 7 minutes (two sides of each piece of beef should be chestnut
   brown). Cook the beef in batches, if necessary, and set aside.
2. Add onions to the pot, with a little extra olive oil if it’s necessary; sauté for two minutes and
   then add the carrots. After two minutes, sprinkle with flour and sauté until slightly
   browned (do not burn).
3. Add a little red wine to deglaze the pan bottom, then all of the wine. Add the paprika to the
   tomato paste mixture, stirring well, and add to the pot, followed by the beef, the thyme and
   bay leaves, and the mushrooms.
4. Bring to a boil, then simmer down; cover with lid and cook for at least 3 hours, or until the
   beef is very tender (see note below – this can be a 3-hour dish, or a 6-hour dish; it’s worth
   the extra time).
5. Skim any fat from the top before serving. If made one day in advance and cooled in the
   refrigerator, the fat solids will rise to the top and can be easily skimmed.
   Serve with Spätzle, mashed or roasted potatoes, or buttered noodles. Fried polenta also works
   well, harkening to Süd-Tyrol, known also Trentino-Alto Adige. This calls for a big red wine, a
   fireplace fire, and a good night’s rest.

NOTE:

For a truly superb rendering of this recipe, amend Step 4 as follows:

1. Cover and simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure that the ingredients cook
   evenly;
2.  Set the lid askew, so the liquid can begin to evaporate, and continue simmering for one
   hour;
3. Remove lid and place into a 350oF oven for one hour; and
4. Turn of the heat and allow to rest in the warm oven for one hour more, allowing a dark crust
   to form on top.

This will make the meat tender beyond belief, thicken the sauce to a gravy, and concentrate the
flavors. One must ensure the goulash doesn’t dry out completely or burn, especially in the
oven; if necessary, water can be added.

This approach requires a total of 6 hours, including one hour to prep and reach Step 4, so plan
accordingly. But it’s worth it.