Hungarian Goulash

Instructions

1. Prepare the beef
   Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and pepper. This helps create a better sear on the meat.
2. Brown the meat
   Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, brown the beef cubes on all sides, about 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned meat to a plate and set aside.
3. Create the flavor base
   In the same pot, reduce heat to medium and add the diced onions. Cook until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Stir in the paprika and caraway seeds, cooking for 30 seconds while stirring constantly to prevent burning.
4. Build the stew
   Return the browned beef to the pot. Add the bell peppers, carrots, tomato paste, and stir to combine. Pour in the beef broth, add the bay leaves and dried marjoram, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until the beef is starting to become tender.
5. Add the potatoes
   Add the cubed potatoes to the pot and continue to simmer, covered, for an additional 30-40 minutes until both the beef and potatoes are very tender. If the stew is too thin, simmer uncovered for the last 15 minutes to reduce and thicken.
6. Final seasoning
   Remove the bay leaves. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. If the paprika flavor isn't strong enough, you can add a little more at this point, but be careful not to overdo it.
7. Serve and garnish
   Ladle the hot goulash into bowls. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley. Serve with crusty bread on the side for dipping.