Hungarian Beef Goulash

Made it,
Loved it.

Serving size 8

Prep Time

Total Time 4HR30MIN

Ingredients

2 lb beef stew meat (such as chuck), trimmed and cubed
2 tsp caraway seed
1 ½ Tbsp sweet or hot paprika (or a mixture of the two), preferably Hungarian (see Ingredient Note)
¼ tsp salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
1 large or 2 medium onion, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
14 oz diced tomato
14 oz reduced-sodium beef broth
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
3 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaf
1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Directions

1. Place beef in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. Crush caraway seeds with the bottom of a saucepan. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in paprika, salt and pepper. Sprinkle the beef with the spice mixture and toss to coat well. Top with onion and bell pepper.

2. Combine tomatoes, broth, Worcestershire sauce and garlic in a medium saucepan; bring to a simmer. Pour over the beef and vegetables. Place bay leaves on top. Cover and cook until

the beef is very tender, 4 to 4 1/2 hours on high or 7 to 7 1/2 hours on low.

3. Discard the bay leaves; skim or blot any visible fat from the surface of the stew. Add the cornstarch mixture to the stew and cook on high, stirring 2 or 3 times, until slightly thickened, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Ingredient Note: Paprika specifically labeled as "Hungarian" is worth seeking out for this dish because it delivers a fuller, richer flavor than regular or Spanish paprika. Find it at specialty-foods store.