Hungarian Goulash

Another recipe for later:

Active Time: 40 minutes Total Time: 2½ hours Serves: 4 with leftovers

2½ pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1½-inch cubes
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black epper
2 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or grapeseed
1 large onion, cut into thin half moons
2½ cups beef stock
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut diagonally into 1½-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, cut diagonally into 1½-inch lengths
3 cups tomato passata or purée
¼ cup sweet paprika
1 large russet potato, peeled and sliced into ¼-inch thick rounds
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, toss beef with salt and pepper, and let come to room temperature, about 30 minutes.

2. Once beef is ready, heat oil in a large, lidded heavyweight Dutch oven over medium heat until oil just begins to ripple but not smoke. Add beef and its residual liquid to pot in batches, browning well on all sides and transferring to a clean bowl as you go. Set bowl aside.

3. Add onions to pot, stirring to coat with fat. Cook until translucent, 5 minutes. Pour in half of stock, then use a wooden spoon to scrape up bits of caramelized meat and onion from bottom of pot. Add carrots and celery to pot, stir well, then fold in beef and its juices. Add passata, remaining beef stock and paprika to pot, stirring well.

4. Increase heat, bring to a boil and boil for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and bring liquid to a simmer. Add potatoes to pot, stir well, cover and place in oven. Cook, stirring every half hour, until gravy is dense enough to coat the back of a spoon, 1½ hours. If goulash is too thick, add additional beef stock or water by the quarter cup, stirring well.

5. Remove goulash from oven, set lid askew and let rest 15 minutes. Serve goulash in bowls over cooked rice, spaetzle or thick slices of challah.