Pörkölt

The Pörkölt is what most Europeans title as Goulash whereas the Gulash in Hungary is the Goulash soup. Pörkölt is rather a stew with a think sauce and only meat pieces inside. The Goulash Soup is very liquid and next too meat you have vegetables such as potatoes or carrots. So if you come to Hungary and want the Goulash that you know you should order a Pörkölt which you get in nearly every Hungarian Restaurant. Pörkölt is so popular that you even find festivals all over Hungary where Hungarians meet for challenging themselves in who makes the best Pörkölt, with loads of Pálinka aside and a big celebration of the winners at the end. I recommend you if you have the chance to go to such a festival, please do so. Here you will see the real Hungarian tradition and culture.

Pörkölt Recipe

Ingredients for your Pörkölt

• Beef meat
• Onions
• Paprika powder, pepper, salt
• Some water

How to do your Pörkölt

In a large pot or in the Cauldron above the open fire you need to fry the finely chopped onions. Add the meat and stir it around, once fried add the paprika powder and the salt and add a bit of water, than basically you just need to let it boil until the meat is tender. One tipp, when you add the paprika powder, leave it on top for few minutes and do not stir it in immediately. If the powder gets fried it will not add the nice red color to your Pörkölt, if you leave it on the meat for a while the juice will turn nice and red, than stir it around.
Pörkölt is usually served with potatoes but you can eat it with pasta or even rice as well. Very well next to it goes the so called “Savanyúság” which are pickeled vegetables like cucumber, cabbage or spicy peppers. Enjoy your meal.