Hungarian Goulash with Spaetzle

Time: 2.5 hours | Serves: 6 Nature: Very Warm | Flavor: Salty, Acrid

Ingredients

For the Stew

  • 4–5 pound pork shoulder (butt), deboned and cubed
  • 2 TBL vegetable oil
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • 750g crushed tomatoes
  • 3 TBL Hungarian sweet paprika
  • 3/4 tsp caraway seeds
  • 2 carrots, peeled and cut into 3/4 in rounds
  • 500 ml pork or chicken broth
  • Salt and pepper to taste

For the Spaetzle

  • 250g all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tsp (3g) salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 80 ml (1/3 cup) milk
  • Pinch of nutmeg

Directions

  1. Thoroughly salt and pepper the pork cubes on all sides. Heat 1 TBL of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Brown the pork in batches so as not to overcrowd the pot, likely 3 or 4 batches, adding more oil as necessary.

  2. Once all the pork is browned and removed from pot, reduce heat to medium and add onions. Stir regularly until starting to soften and then add garlic, cooking for a few more minutes. Don't let the garlic burn.

  3. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up all the bits on the bottom. Add browned pork and all remaining ingredients, making sure to cover the pork and vegetables with liquid. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and simmer at least 2 hours, stirring periodically to prevent sticking.

  4. Once the pork is tender and starting to easily fall apart, adjust the salt and pepper to taste. Serve over spaetzle, noodles, or even rice.

  5. Make the Spaetzle Batter: Whisk together eggs, milk, salt, and nutmeg. Then stir in flour until you have a thick, wet, and sticky batter. Let rest while you prepare the stew.

  6. Make the Spaetzle: Bring a medium pot of salted water to boil, reduce to a simmer. Working with about 1 cup of batter at a time, press the dough through a spaetzle press or use a spatula to press it through a colander with wide holes so that the dough falls as long tendrils into the simmering water. Once the cooked noodles float, remove with a strainer and let cool.

What is Spaetzle?

Spaetzle is essentially a quick egg noodle favored by home cooks all over eastern Europe.

You can use specialty items like a spaetzle press to make it, but you can also hone some amazing spaetzle cutting skills used by some very skilled grannies in Germany.

Check out this video for inspiration: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y6Ga9hMm4Y

Download the recipe care