Recipe: Transylvanian Goulash

According to the online Budapest Tourist Guide, goulash "was (and still is) a very popular dish among herdsmen in Hungary. They made it in a cast-iron kettle hung above open fire, out in the fields. Herdsman is gulyás in Hungarian, so that’s where the dish’s name comes from." The basic ingredients are a tomato base, meat, onion, sometimes green pepper and always paprika.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2-1/2 pounds pork chops, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 pound sauerkraut not from a can, drained and rinsed well
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons sweet paprika
• 1-1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
• 2/3 cup tomato sauce
• splash of hot sauce, if desired
• sour cream, for serving

Directions

In a medium skillet, heat the oil over medium heat; add the onion and garlic and cook until the onion is translucent.

Layer the onion/garlic mixture, the pork cubes and the sauerkraut into a crockpot, alternating layers. Combine the broth, salt, paprika, caraway seeds, and tomato sauce; pour over the pork. Cover and cook on "high" for 6 hours. Serve the goulash with a splash of hot sauce and/or some sour cream, if desired.

Serves 4-6.

This recipe was written by Mary Bilyeu and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Feb. 1, 2011.