Pörkölt (Goulash)

Information about Hungarian Pörkölt (Goulash) plus Traditional Hungarian Goulash recipes

Speciality Dish - Hungary

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There has been much confusion and disinformation  about Hungarian Goulash outside of Hungary; from the misspelling of the name to the misinterpretation of the dish. 

Firstly,  Goulash is the English word for Gulyas,  whereas Pörkölt is the Hungarian name for the dish most of us call Goulash.  It is not to be confused with gulyas leves which is actually a hearty soup that contains large pieces of meat and vegetables.  The name gulyas is a shortened form of gulyashus,  which means "herdsman's meat" in Hungarian.

Traditionally Pörkölt was (and often still is) cooked in a large cauldron called a bográc,  on the top of the heat source. A version of it was cooked as early as 800A.D. by  the Magyars who used bogrács to cook it over open fires. The Magyars traditionally cooked cubes of with onions, then dried them and took it with them when they went on their wanderings. They would then cook them in water until reconstituted. 

Over the years, various other ingredients were added including Paprika (c18th century), sour cream and potatoes and nowadays it is made from using different meats and often served with noodles.

Below are some samples of Hungarian

Happy Cooking!

Csirkeporkolt  (Chicken)     HT  MC  Hungarian   50mins

Hungarian Veal Goulash   HT  MC  Hungarian  120mins

Beef Porkolt    HT  MC  Hungarian  135mins

Mutton Porkolt With Cabbage    HT  MC  Hungarian  135mins