Hearty Czech Goulash Potato (Print Version)

Slow-cooked beef in paprika sauce served with crispy golden potato strips for a flavorful meal.

# Components:

→ Goulash

01 - 1.76 lb beef chuck, cut into 1 inch cubes
02 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
03 - 2 large onions, finely chopped
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
06 - 1 tsp caraway seeds
07 - 1 tsp marjoram
08 - 1 tsp salt
09 - ½ tsp black pepper
10 - 2 tbsp tomato paste
11 - 3.17 cups beef broth
12 - 1 bell pepper, diced
13 - 1 tbsp all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour
14 - 1 bay leaf

→ Potato Strips

15 - 4 large potatoes, peeled
16 - 2 cups vegetable oil for frying
17 - Salt, to taste

# Directions:

01 - Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add finely chopped onions and cook until golden, about 8 minutes.
02 - Stir in minced garlic, caraway seeds, and sweet Hungarian paprika. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly to prevent burning the paprika.
03 - Add beef cubes to the pot and brown on all sides over medium heat, approximately 5 minutes.
04 - Stir in tomato paste, marjoram, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf to coat the meat evenly.
05 - Sprinkle flour over the meat mixture and stir thoroughly to combine.
06 - Add diced bell pepper and pour in beef broth. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer 1.5 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally until beef is tender and sauce is thickened.
07 - While goulash simmers, cut peeled potatoes into thin matchstick strips using a mandoline or sharp knife.
08 - Rinse potato strips in cold water to remove excess starch and pat completely dry with a clean towel.
09 - Heat 2 cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to 350°F. Fry potato strips in batches for 3 to 4 minutes until golden and crispy. Drain on paper towels and season with salt.
10 - Remove bay leaf from goulash. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
11 - Ladle hot goulash into bowls and top with crispy fried potato strips.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The paprika transforms simple beef into something deeply savory and almost mysterious, with none of that spicy kick unless you want it.
  • Those fried potato strips aren't just a side—they're the textural contrast that makes every spoonful feel like a small celebration.
  • Two hours of simmering means you're free to do other things while your kitchen smells incredible, and the beef becomes so tender it dissolves on your tongue.
02 -
  • Never skip drying those potato strips after rinsing—wet potatoes fry into soggy disappointments, and this is the one place you can't recover from that mistake.
  • Paprika burns instantly if the heat is too high, so when it goes into the hot oil, keep the flame at medium and stir constantly for just one minute; burned paprika tastes bitter and ruins the whole sauce.
  • The flour acts as a subtle thickener, but only after simmering for a while, so don't panic if the sauce looks thin after an hour—it will thicken as the beef breaks down.
03 -
  • Use beef chuck specifically—it's the cut made for this kind of cooking, with enough marbling to stay juicy and enough connective tissue to become silky.
  • Taste the sauce near the end and adjust seasoning; beef broth varies wildly in saltiness, so you might need more salt than the recipe suggests, or sometimes less.
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