Instructions
1. Brown the meat
- In a large heavy pot, heat lard/oil over medium heat.
- Add pork cubes and sear until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
2. Build the base
- In the same pot, sauté onions until golden.
- Add garlic, cook briefly, then stir in paprika and caraway seeds (off heat for a moment to avoid burning paprika).
3. Simmer the stew
- Return pork to the pot. Add tomatoes, bay leaves, sauerkraut, and enough stock to just cover.
- Bring to a gentle boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 1½ hours, or until pork is tender.
4. Finish with sour cream
- In a small bowl, mix sour cream with flour (if using) and a few spoonfuls of hot liquid from the pot to temper.
- Stir mixture back into the stew, simmer another 5–10 minutes until thickened and creamy.
5. Serve
- Garnish with chopped parsley.
- Traditionally served with boiled potatoes or fresh bread.
Notes & Tips
- This dish has a tangy flavor from sauerkraut balanced by the creaminess of sour cream.
- Some Hungarian cooks also add smoked pork or sausage for extra depth.
- It’s even better the next day after flavors meld.
If you’d like, I can also share the authentic Transylvanian Székely Gulyás variant, which uses smoked pork ribs and is richer in paprika flavor. Would you like that version?
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