Ingredients :
Stewing beef; boneless beef chuck or beef shank, well-marbled.
Yellow onion; coarsely chopped.
Pork lard; or vegetable oil such as sunflower or Canola.
Caraway seeds; crushed or ground.
Salt
Black pepper; ground.
Sweet Hungarian paprika.
Tomato paste; do not use tomato passata or ketchup.
Bay leaves.
Water; or beef broth for a richer flavor
Dried marjoram
Fresh garlic; pressed or crushed cloves
All-purpose flour; to thicken the guláš.


INSTRUCTIONS:
STEP 1: Peel the onion and chop it roughly. Cut the beef into 1-1.1/2-inch pieces.
STEP 2: Melt the lard or vegetable oil over medium-high heat in a pot with a thick bottom. Fry onions until almost brown. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Finally, add the crushed caraway seeds and stir for another minute.
STEP 3: Add beef chunks, season with salt, and fry them from all sides until a golden brown crust is created. Expect the meat releases some juices when fried. Stir frequently, and scrape off the burnt residue on the bottom of the pot with a wooden spatula. If necessary, reduce the heat or add a spoon or two of water.
STEP 4: Turn the stove on medium heat, and add ground pepper, sweet paprika, and tomato paste. Fry for 1 minute while stirring. The base can’t get burnt, or else the goulash will taste bitter. Add 1-2 spoons of water to prevent burning.
STEP 5: Pour in water so the meat is almost covered. Add bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a minimum, cover with a lid and allow the beef to simmer for 2–2.5 hours or until soft.
STEP 6: When the beef cubes are soft, add flour to thicken the stew. I'll provide a helpful method for making the stew sauce smoother and more cohesive.Take off the pot's lid. Using a small sieve, carefully dust the surface of the stew with a tablespoon of flour. Do not stir. Cover with the lid and leave to cook for a further 15 minutes. Remove the lid and stir.
STEP 7: Remove bay leaves, add crushed garlic and dried marjoram, and stir. Season with salt to your liking. Cover with a lid and let it rest off heat for 10 minutes.


ENJOY!