Here we have another classic from Vienna and its Beisl, Szegediner Gulasch . In contrast to the regularly goulash it is made with pork (shoulder or neck) and Sauerkraut.
As so often with food classics it is invented by accident and leftover food. In the first half of the 19th century in Hungary, the poet József Székely together with his friend and revolutionary/poet Sándor Petófi visited a tavern for a late lunch, but there was almost nothing to eat left besides pork goulash and a little bit of sauerkraut. But both were such hungry that they convinced the cook to combine both ingredients together. The Szegediner Goulash or Székelykáposzta was invinted. Mmmmh……so delicious and Eastern Europe soul-food at its best.
Note: be careful when you add the paprika spice, as the heat must be low. Otherwise you will burn the spice and as a result it turns bitter and the dish is ruined.
For those who are interested in, I used a canned Sauerkraut from Filderstadt near Stuttgart, south of Germany. Considered to be the best, very mild and needs no washing in cold water in advance.
Ingredients
1.2 kg pork shoulder (me: neck)
500g Sauerkraut, washed
400g onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp pork lard or sunflower oil
3 bay leaves
500g bouillon/broth (beef or vegetable)
2-3 tbsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp hot paprika or Cayenne
1 tsp tomato paste
1 tsp caraway seeds, crushed in a mortar
sour cream „Sauerrahm“ (10%)
salt&pepper
water
Preparation
- Chopp the meat in cubes and sauté in batches on very high heat with lard/oil in a casserole/dutch oven
- Remove the meat and reduce the heat to low and cook the onion slices carefully until soft (not dark brown!) and at the end add chopped garlic
- Remove the pot from the heat and add paprika, Cayenne, tomato paste and cook for 1 min. Combine everything
- Bring the pot back to heat and add meat. Combine everything for 1 min
- Now add bouillon/broth and bring to boil.
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Cook with lid on low heat for 90min or put in the oven by 140 C or 300 F.
Regularly combine everything. -
After 90min add crushed caraway seeds and bay leaves. Finally add the Sauerkraut (washed in cold water with a sieve). Cook for another 30-40min. with lid on low heat. Add a dash water for more liquid. In general the Szegediner Goulash is liquid.
- Serve with a tablespoon of sour cream „Sauerrahm“ on top. Optional also add some chopped parsley if you like. Classic side would be salty boiled potatoes or baquette/bread „Semmel“ in Vienna. I served it with „Schupfnudeln “, classic in the area around Stuttgart.
