Anyone have a recipe for classic American goulash?

Comments: 33

☀ Aunt Shanny Oct 9, 2007, 12:39pm EDT

I remember mom making this, but all I remember was onion, hamburger, elbow mac and canned tomatoes. Maybe garlic powder?

Sorry!

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Marianne M. Oct 9, 2007, 12:48pm EDT

Shannon,
Thanks for your input!

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GEORGE H. Oct 14, 2007, 10:12am EDT

I'VE USE DAY OLD MARINARA FROM PASTA NIGHT WITH ELBOW MACARONI, SOMETIMES WITH BROWNED GROUD BEEF, OR TURKEY

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Marianne M. Oct 14, 2007, 11:08am EDT

Hi George,
Sounds like a really good idea. Thank you!

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☀ Aunt Shanny Oct 22, 2009, 11:26am EDT

I am making this for dinner. Not sure what combo of seasonings I will be using yet.

Marianne M. Oct 22, 2009, 11:29am EDT

Oh goodie! Be sure you post a detailed recipe ... can't wait to see what you come up with!

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Madame Donna C. Oct 22, 2009, 6:45pm EDT

As far as I can tell, you've already listed the basic ingredients. In my experience this recipe is as variable as homemade meatloaf, spaghetti sauce or noodle kugels. Each cook adds their own touches in terms of spices. Some cooks used use caraway,or sage, others used chili powder, all use salt. I've got at least 10-12 old cookbooks and no 2 books list that recipe exactly the same. It's a hybrid dish at best, Marianne. Compose your own and it will be right! Oh, some even used Cheese Wiz (Gasp).

Madame Donna C. Oct 22, 2009, 6:47pm EDT

Almost forgot to add, the name depends on where you grew up. My mom called it American Chop Suey.

Marianne M. Oct 22, 2009, 9:49pm EDT

Thanks, Madame Donna! I'm pleased by the interest in this old request for a goulash recipe ... it's from Oct. of 2007 ...

Madame Donna C. Oct 22, 2009, 9:51pm EDT

I noticed that but it intrigued me and I saw that there weren't many responses back then. Hahah.

Marianne M. Oct 22, 2009, 9:57pm EDT

I always appreciate and value your comments, Mme. Donna ... please keep them coming my way!

Janna R. Oct 22, 2009, 10:25pm EDT

Whoa. I didn't notice how old this was either. I must've followed Donna in.

Marianne M. Oct 22, 2009, 10:35pm EDT

Well, I'm glad you did, Jana ... now I have a good goulash recipe, thanks to you!

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Janna R. Oct 22, 2009, 7:55pm EDT

I make this a lot in winter when I'm lazy. The recipe is in my head and I don't really measure anything.

I sautee a chopped onion and a few cloves of garlic and some ground beef. Then I add a bunch of sweet Hungarian paprika, some sharp Hungarian paprika and a bit of cayenne. I add a can of good quality whole plum tomatoes, breaking them up a bit, 2 Tablespoons of tomato paste and a bit of water if it needs it. Add some salt and pepper and let it simmer until the elbows are cooked. Add the elbow macaroni and it's done. Sometimes I top my serving with some grated extra sharp cheddar.

Madame Donna C. Oct 22, 2009, 9:14pm EDT

Yes! That's the recipe I am familiar with! Except some of my friend's moms used Cheese Whiz instead of cheddar. (Imagine. Pffft.)

Marianne M. Oct 22, 2009, 9:41pm EDT

Thanks, Jana ... sounds great! That's real old time comfort food!

Janna R. Oct 22, 2009, 10:11pm EDT

Cheez Whiz on top sounds disgusting.

I had Hungarian Goulash at a restaurant at the train station in Budapest, and it was excellent. After a bit of research, it may have actually been Pörkölt, which seems to be a variation or derivation of goulash ("Another Hungarian stew using ground paprika, developed around 1800 from the old, original Goulash, is the Pörkölt, a meat stew (without any potato or pasta in the stew)"). The English translation on the menu said it was served with "flour pellets" which I think were these dumpling-like things called tarhonya.

Marianne M. Oct 22, 2009, 10:19pm EDT

Sounds like a wonderful experience ... and obviously the real thing!

☀ Aunt Shanny Oct 22, 2009, 10:29pm EDT

Janna's idea for cayenne was a great one too.

Marianne M. Oct 22, 2009, 10:36pm EDT

I thought you'd like that, Shan!!!

Madame Donna C. Oct 22, 2009, 11:00pm EDT

Janna, when we were in Europe we saw all kinds of variations: one had a combo of pork, veal and beef and another was just veal and it was all good. The paprika and chili powder were and are pretty standard in the recipes. I suppose that when it comes to American Goulash it was an attempt at postwar frugality hence the ground beef in lieu of veal or pork and high spice to cover up the inferior meat. It worked, I'm sure and the cheese is just another American affectation because they needed to add fats to inferior recipes to make them palatable! Haha.

Dannielle S. Oct 22, 2009, 11:14pm EDT

Re Janna's comment: Cheez Whiz in general sounds awful. The only thing I'd put it on is a list of foods I'd never want to have to eat.

Janna R. Oct 22, 2009, 11:24pm EDT

I'm not ashamed to admit that I'd eat Cheez Whiz, but only on a Philly Cheesesteak. Depending on who you ask, "wit Whiz" or with provolone is the only way to get it.

Dannielle S. Oct 22, 2009, 11:37pm EDT

I'd invoke lactose intolerance except I'm pretty sure that orange substance includes no actual cheese.

Dannielle S. Oct 22, 2009, 11:37pm EDT

So, I suppose it's just good old-fashioned intolerance.

Janna R. Oct 22, 2009, 11:47pm EDT

I think it does have some actual cheese, but with a lot of other stuff added to it.

Madame Donna C. Oct 22, 2009, 11:49pm EDT

In the right place at the right time, Cheez Whiz has a place. Not often nor on my dinner table but at fairs, for Cheesesteak and the like it's an absolute must. I have several recipes that use cheese squirted from a can and I use those to threaten people if they aren't nice to me when I cater. It's a fabulous weapon.

Dannielle S. Oct 23, 2009, 12:00am EDT

But we can still tease you about cookies, right?

Madame Donna C. Oct 23, 2009, 12:09am EDT

Right.

Dave Sandborg Oct 23, 2009, 9:22am EDT

I had a couple of interesting things in Hungary that were stew-like, though whether they officially counted as goulash I don't know. My journal entries are AWOL with my laptop, so I couldn't produce any more information now, but I distinctly remember having one dish that had tongue in it. I don't recall that having a particular paprika taste. It strikes me it was a bit tangy instead, but I may be misremembering. Anyway, there was some interesting cuisine in Hungary, not really resembling anything I've had in the States.

As for Cheez Whiz, I agree it has its place. It is probably one of the junk foods I have the least weakness for though. I won't reveal what weaknesses I do have... :-)

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Janna R. Oct 22, 2009, 11:19pm EDT

"Janna's idea for cayenne was a great one too."

Yeah--a little bit of cayenne, along with the Hungarian half-sharp paprika gives it a nice flavorful kick.

Dave Sandborg Oct 23, 2009, 9:08am EDT

I can vouch for the cayenne! I always like a little extra heat and spice in any of my dishes. Janna can probably tell you about how much pepper I add to almost everything.

Oddly enough this goulash is one thing that I for some reason want to add salt to as well. I only do this to a few dishes, I'm not sure why. One of the others is a gumbo, which is also a bit spicy. Perhaps the salt mitigates the spice a bit?

Madame Donna C. Oct 23, 2009, 12:12pm EDT

Dave, I'm guessing your desire ot add sat to goulash is probably because tomatoes are acidic and salt reduces acidity.

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Anyone have a recipe for classic American goulash?

Comments: 33

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