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Loading...A classic Hungarian tokány-style ragout in which chunks of beef are slowly simmered with sweet paprika and golden onions until fork-tender, then served over soft homemade egg dumplings called galuska. Hearty, glossy, and deeply flavored, this is the kind of dish that defines a Hungarian countryside kitchen.
Prep Time20 mins
Cook Time90 mins
Total Time110 mins
Servings4
Yield4 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 620 kcalCalories
- 28 gFat
- 11 gSaturated Fat
- 48 gCarbs
- 4 gFiber
- 5 gSugar
- 42 gProtein
- 620 mgSodium
- 780 mgPotassium
- 95 mgCalcium
- 6 mgIron
- 8 mgVitamin C
- 320 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the Beef Ragout
- 2 lbs (900 g) beef chuck, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 2 large yellow onions, finely diced
- 3 tbsp lard or rendered bacon fat
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 small ripe tomato, grated on a box grater (about 1/3 cup)
For the Seasoning and Braising Liquid
- 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1/2 tsp hot Hungarian paprika (optional)
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 cups beef broth
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tsp kosher salt, plus more to taste
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the Egg Dumplings (Galuska)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup water, plus more as needed
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
Directions
- Heat the lard in a heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Pat the beef cubes dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear in batches until deeply browned on all sides, about 7 to 8 minutes total. Transfer to a plate.
- Reduce heat to medium. Add the diced onions to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
- Remove the pot from the heat and quickly stir in the sweet and hot paprikas along with the flour so the spices toast gently without scorching. Add the grated tomato and stir until everything is coated.
- Return the beef and any accumulated juices to the pot. Pour in the beef broth, add the bay leaf and caraway seeds, and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot. Bring to a gentle simmer.
- Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 75 to 90 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender and the sauce has reduced into a thick, glossy ragout that coats a spoon.
- Meanwhile, make the galuska: whisk the eggs, water, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir in the flour gradually until you have a thick, sticky, shaggy batter that drops slowly from a spoon; add a splash more water if too stiff.
- Bring a wide pot of generously salted water to a gentle boil. Drop teaspoon-sized pieces of batter into the water using a spaetzle maker, pushed through a coarse grater, or cut with a knife from a wet board. Cook 3 to 4 minutes until dumplings float and are set, then drain and toss with butter.
- Remove the bay leaf from the ragout and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper. Spoon the ragout over the buttered egg dumplings and serve immediately, with extra paprika passed at the table.
Cook’s Notes
- Always pull the pot off the heat for a moment when adding the paprika so it toasts gently rather than burning, which would make the sauce bitter.
- For an even deeper flavor, splash in 1/4 cup of dry red wine along with the broth.
- Traditional tokány often hides a handful of cremini mushrooms or a few sliced pickled Hungarian wax peppers in the last 20 minutes of simmering.
- Leftovers taste even better the next day as the paprika mellows and the sauce thickens; gently reheat with a splash of broth.
- If galuska seems too tedious, serve the ragout over wide egg noodles, spaetzle, or boiled potatoes instead.
