Goulash-ish

Name: Goulash-ish
Cook time: 4 h 18 min
Total time: 4 h 18 min
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 2 lbs flank steak or venison (sinews removed), cut into ½-inch cubes (I use grass-fed stew meat from Lucas Family Farms in Orwell, Vermont); 1 Tbsp salt; 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour; 2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp sweet paprika; 2 Tbsp neutral oil, such as canola; ¼ cup white wine vinegar; ¼ cup dry sherry; 4 Tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter; 2 large (about 14 oz total) sweet onions, diced; 6 Tbsp tomato paste; One 12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and finely chopped; 1 tsp dry mustard; 2 tsp dashi granules; 1 Tbsp hot paprika; 2 tsp ground sumac; 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup; ¼ cup balsamic vinegar; ¼ cup brewed coffee; 4 cups beef stock; 1 lb new potatoes, peeled and halved

Image of Goulash-ish — Photo by Raymond Prado

Servings

Prep Time

8-12 hours

Cook Time

4 hours 30 minutes

"In the summer, when we visited our family in Germany, if beef stew was had, it was goulash. A beef stew that is, arguably, almost equal parts beef and paprika. I never craved any version of beef stew until we moved to Vermont. Here, the prolonged cold is just asking for the hearty stuff, and another meat that came my way that I'd never asked for but felt compelled to use. Venison. A neighbor shared some with us and I realized that a goulash-type base with hints of stronger acid would work beautifully with both the earthy local grass-fed beef and gamier venison cuts. Luckily, we have both local hunters and small local farms on hand to supply gorgeous venison and grass-fed beef just perfect for a long-simmered stew, inspiring me to create a dish, layered in flavor, which honors the best of what a stew can be."

Gesine Bullock-Prado is a pastry chef, instructor, and author of six books. She is the host of Food Network’s Baked in Vermont and has appeared as a judge on several Food Network competitions. She lives in White River Junction, Vermont.

Excerpted from MY VERMONT TABLE: Recipes for all (Six) Seasons by Gesine Bullock-Prado Copyright © 2023. Used with permission of the publisher, Countryman Press. All rights reserved. Raymond Prado photo credit.

Author:

Gesine Bullock-Prado

Ingredients

2 lbs flank steak or venison (sinews removed), cut into ½-inch cubes (I use grass-fed stew meat from Lucas Family Farms in Orwell, Vermont)
1 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp plus 1 tsp sweet paprika
2 Tbsp neutral oil, such as canola
¼ cup white wine vinegar
¼ cup dry sherry
4 Tbsp (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 large (about 14 oz total) sweet onions, diced
6 Tbsp tomato paste
One 12 oz jar roasted red peppers, drained and finely chopped
1 tsp dry mustard
2 tsp dashi granules
1 Tbsp hot paprika
2 tsp ground sumac
2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ cup brewed coffee
4 cups beef stock
1 lb new potatoes, peeled and halved

Directions

Line a sheet pan with parchment. Arrange the beef cubes on the parchment and sprinkle with 1 ½ teaspoons of the salt. Flip and sprinkle with the remaining 1 ½ teaspoons of salt. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 300°F. Combine the flour and 1 teaspoon of the paprika in a small bowl. Transfer the beef to a large bowl, and sprinkle with the paprika mixture, and toss to coat.
Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the beef and sear until browned on all sides. Transfer the beef to a plate.
Add the white wine vinegar and sherry to the Dutch oven to deglaze, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Lower the heat to medium and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent.
Add the tomato paste and roasted red peppers. Stir to combine. Add the mustard, dashi granules, remaining 2 tablespoons of sweet paprika, hot paprika, sumac, maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, coffee, and beef stock. Stir to combine and then add the beef and stir again.
Cover with the Dutch oven lid and place on the middle rack of the oven. Cook, undisturbed, for 3 ½ hours. Stir in the potatoes and cook, with the lid on, for an additional hour, or until the beef is melt-in-your-mouth tender and the potatoes are fork-tender.
Season to taste. This stew is gorgeous the day it’s made and continues to build flavor overnight. Serve with Gesine’s Spätzle.