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Hungarian beef stew served with bread
Tasty slow-cooked Hungarian beef stew

Authentic Hungarian Beef Stew (Pörkölt)

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Main Courses
Hungarian Beef Pörkölt is more than a meal; it's a ritual. Often cooked outdoors in a cauldron ('bogrács'), its unique flavor comes from slow-sautéed onions, quality paprika dissolving in fat, and the 'short broth' technique—stewing in its own juices rather than boiling in water.
🕒 Prep Time 30 mins
🍳 Cook Time 3 hrs
⌛ Total Time 3 hrs 30 mins
🍽️ Servings 6 servings
🔥 Calories 650 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Hungarian

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Dutch oven or heavy pot
  • Wooden spoon
  • Cutting board & knife
  • Ladle

Instructions

1 ✓

Finely dice the onions. Cut meat into 1.5-inch cubes. Chop peppers and tomatoes.

Tip: Onions provide the stew's thickness. Finely chopped, they dissolve into a creamy sauce.
2 ✓

Melt lard in the pot and sauté onions over low heat until glassy and slightly golden.

Tip: Caramelizing the onions creates the sweet, savory base.
3 ✓

Remove pot from heat! Stir in paprika, then immediately add meat and crushed garlic. Stir and return to heat.

Tip: Paprika dissolves in fat but burns easily. Dissolving it in fat releases the vibrant red color.
4 ✓

Salt the meat and sear until it turns white and releases its own juices. Let it simmer in these juices.

Tip: This is the 'pörkölés' (roasting) phase. Do not add water yet; let it braise in its own liquid.
5 ✓

Once the liquid evaporates and it sizzles on the fat, add peppers, tomatoes, and a small splash of water.

Tip: Tomato acidity helps tenderize the meat fibers.
6 ✓

Cook for 2-3 hours, adding small amounts of water only as needed to prevent burning. Shake the pot rather than stirring to keep meat intact.

Tip: Beef shank is rich in collagen, which needs time to turn into gelatinous gravy.

Recipe FAQ

Why is it bitter?
The paprika likely burned. Always remove the pot from heat before adding paprika, then immediately add liquid or meat.
When to salt?
Salt early to help the meat release the juices it needs to braise in.

Ingredients

  • 2.5 lbs Beef Chuck or Shank (cubed)
  • 3 large Onions
  • 3 cloves Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Hungarian Sweet Paprika
  • 2 whole Ripe tomatoes
  • 2 whole Bell peppers (or Wax peppers)
  • 3 tbsp Lard or Oil
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 pinch Black pepper
  • 2 cups Water (or dry red wine)