Goulash in all its glory

Well winter is definitely upon us and it’s cold, wow there’s a revelation… and with the cold come a serious need for two things that help with warming up the cockles of your heart…
1. Setting fire to your girlfriends cat (it will warm all parts of any room it is lit in)
2. Making goulash

Making goulash warms you on many levels (as does the cat thing). It will fill the house with an amazing aroma sure to bring a smile to your face, it will warm your belly when you eat it at a table with your loved one’s, and if you happen to spill some on yourself it will be sure to burn your skin right off your bone.

I first starting making this magical brown liquid in Thredbo circa 2000 and boy did I make a lot, on average I used to make thousands of litres every year (that fact is at probably at least 80% exact). On a snowy winters day there is nothing better then a bowl of goulash, well nothing legal anyway.

This soup originates from the ancient lands of Germania, some say “Hungary” and to that I respond “yes I am, can I have some goulash please”. Fables tell the story of a pretty young girl and a big bad wolf, to that I ask was it a wolf or a dodgy uncle? But fables aside goulash has been getting made since caveman first invented a saucepan, gas stove and small tins of paprika.

I often make this soup just to remind me of the great times I had in Thredbo, that’s what food does it transports you to the time you first had it, or the time you had the best version or most likely the time you where having sex with a couple of Swedish models and you tried their grandmothers meatballs (that is not a euphemism) regardless of what filth your mind conjures up, its always nice eating goulash ☺

Beef goulash
500g diced beef (chuck, rump)
4 large onions sliced
4 garlic cloves sliced
6 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon chilli powder
2 bay leafs
2.5 beef stock
• Cook off the onions in a large pot until they are translucent, then take out and set to one side
• Brown off the meat in small batches then when all browned add the onions back in as well as all other ingredients
• Simmer away for at least 2 hours or until the meat is tender
• Check seasoning and serve, some people like potatoes in their goulash if you are one of these so called people then simply add quartered chat potatoes 20 minutes before the end of your simmering.
If you’re thinking to yourself this sounds remarkably simple, well you’re right it is… remember it was a German caveman that came up with this recipe so don’t over think it.