Best Transylvanian Cabbage Gulyas Recipes

TRANSYLVANIAN GOULASH

Steps:

• Wash the sauerkraut thoroughly under cold running water, then soak it in cold water for 10 to 20 minutes to reduce its sourness. Strain well, pressing out all the water.
• Melt the butter in a 5-quart casserole and add the onion. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly colored, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the garlic, season with salt and cook a minute or two longer. Stir in the paprika, pour in 1/2 cup of the broth and bring to a boil. Add the pork cubes.
• Spread the sauerkraut over the pork and sprinkle it with the caraway seeds. In a small bowl, combine the tomato purée and the rest of the broth and pour the mixture over the sauerkraut. Bring the liquid to a boil once more, then reduce the heat to its lowest point. Season the cooking liquid with a pinch of salt, cover the casserole tightly and simmer for 1 hour. Check occasionally to make sure the liquid has not cooked away. Add a little stock or water if needed; the sauerkraut should be moist.
• When the pork is tender, combine the creams in a mixing bowl. Beat the flour into the creams with a whisk, then carefully stir this mixture into the casserole. Simmer for 10 minutes longer. Season with salt to taste. Serve in large, wide bowls, accompanied by a side of sour cream.

TRANSYLVANIAN GOULASH (SZEKELY GULYAS)

Steps:

• Melt the lard in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, about 6 minutes. Add the paprika and 1/2 cup of the stock and bring to a boil. Add the pork and simmer, covered, 1 hour.
• Add the sauerkraut, caraway seeds, tomato juice and remaining stock to the pot. Return it to a simmer, cover and cook for another hour, or until meat is very tender.
• Whisk the flour and sour cream together and carefully stir into the pot. Simmer 10 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

TRANSYLVANIAN CABBAGE GULYAS

Steps:

• Peel and chop onions. In large cooking pot place diced bacon and oil. Sauté onions and garlic for 5 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently until onion is light golden.
• Take cooking pot off heat, add paprika and mix well. Place cubed pork on paprika/onion mixture and turn pieces around to coat well. Cook over low heat for a few minutes, stirring continuously, making sure that paprika does not burn.
• Add salt, pepper, and caraway and mix well. Immediately after, add enough water to cover meat. Cover pot and simmer meat for 45 minutes. While meat is cooking, wash out sauerkraut under cold running water. Squeeze dry and set aside (not necessary if sauerkraut is not too sour) Add sauerkraut to meat and cook together until meat is done, about 15 minutes longer. Before serving, add sliced sausage and sour cream. Gently stir into gulyas and cook on low heat for another 2-3 minutes. Serve at once but this dish is better when prepared a day ahead. Sour cream should only be added before serving.