All the secrets of the traditional Hungarian dish and the recipe to prepare a state-of-the-art goulash and fall in love with it
A good plate of steaming meat is what it takes to restore us from the first colds of autumn that, even from a climatic point of view, will arrive sooner or later. With a wise touch of paprika, then, the situation becomes more intriguing: to taste to believe.
The dish that is making our hearts beat is the traditional Hungarian goulash which in the original language would be called gulyás. The name comes from gulya which means cattle herd. The meat usually used to prepare it is in fact the beef, preferably with the part of the anterior front, neck or shoulder.
In all Central and Eastern Europe, however, one can find interesting variations based on fish, white meat and sheep. The classic recipe was born from the Hungarian herdsmen who they cooked the meat in a big pot put on the fire, flavoring it with lard, onions and paprika. Potatoes cut into wedges or coarse nuts and shredded carrots are also often used at home. The recipe, born in the Middle Ages and consumed until the XVIII century only by the farmers of the prairies, spread also in the bourgeois houses and beyond the borders of the nation. Among all Hungarian meat stews, including the pörkölt and paprikás (which also contains sour cream), the gulasch has emerged, becoming a symbol of Hungarian gastronomic culture. But it is not a case. During the political conflict with Austria in the late 1700s, Hungary had a need to prove itself culturally independent and to differentiate itself from Austrian customs. The goulash was chosen as one of the symbols of Hungary and soon became famous throughout Europe and the world.
In the gallery below you will find a more contemporary version of the traditional Hungarian dish where the butter has been replaced with lard. The addition of tomato, not present in the traditional recipe, will make it possible to "lighten" the seasonings necessary to prevent the meat from drying out.
