ReceptnaptárBeef stew (marhapörkölt)
Beef stew (marhapörkölt) needs the longest cooking time of the pörkölt family — tough, collagen-rich cuts (topside, shoulder) only turn truly tender after long, slow braising.
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Ingredients
Method
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- Trim the membranes off the meat, then cut it into even cubes of about 3 cm and wash it.
- Heat the lard in a larger pan over medium heat, add the onion and fry for 5-6 minutes until translucent and soft but not browned.
- Take off the heat briefly, stir in the paprika, then immediately return the meat to it so the paprika doesn't burn.
- Season with salt, add the tomato and fry over high heat for a few minutes until the outside of the meat turns white.
- Add 100-200 ml of water, cover and braise over low heat, stirring often, for 1.5-2 hours until the meat is tender; whenever the liquid cooks away, top it up with a little water.
- For the last 10-15 minutes leave it uncovered so the sauce thickens, but make sure there's still enough sauce.
- Serve with boiled pasta, dumplings or potatoes.
Based on: A jó házikonyha (a classic Hungarian cookbook), modernised. Calories and protein are estimated.
Tips
- Choose a collagen-rich cut (topside, shin, shoulder) — quick-cooking, neatly sliceable cuts like fillet or sirloin end up too dry for pörkölt.
- Stir the paprika into the onions off the heat, or it will burn and turn the whole dish bitter.
- Don't rush it: the meat only turns truly tender, falling apart with a fork, after 1.5-2 hours — stopping earlier leaves it chewy.
- For the last 10-15 minutes, leave it uncovered to thicken the sauce, but watch that there's still enough liquid left so it doesn't dry out.
Frequently asked questions
Why does my beef stew stay chewy?
It almost certainly cooked for too short a time, or was made from the wrong (too lean, quick-cooking) cut of meat.
Can a pressure cooker speed things up?
Yes, in a pressure cooker the 1.5-2 hour braise can shrink to about 35-40 minutes, following the manufacturer's instructions.
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