Szeged goulash (pork and sauerkraut goulash)

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How to make Szeged goulash (pork and sauerkraut goulash)

1. Prep the ingredients. Dice the pork into roughly 3 cm cubes and slice the onions finely. If the sauerkraut is very sharp, give it a quick rinse and squeeze it dry — though leaving some tang gives the dish its character.
2. Soften the onions. Heat a generous knick of lard or oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Cook the onions for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly, until soft and golden at the edges.
3. Bloom the paprika. Pull the pot off the heat, add the ground sweet paprika and caraway seeds, and stir for about 30 seconds — the residual heat is enough to wake up the spices without burning them bitter.
4. Brown the pork. Return the pot to medium-high heat, add the pork and stir to coat it in the spiced onions. Sear for 4–5 minutes until the meat has some colour on most sides.
5. Add sauerkraut and braise. Tip in the sauerkraut and stir everything together, then add just enough water to barely cover — around 200–300 ml. Bring to a gentle simmer, put the lid on, and cook over low heat for 50–55 minutes until the pork is completely tender and pulls apart easily with a spoon.
6. Finish with cream. Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and stir in the cream. Let it warm through for 3–4 minutes without boiling — boiling hard at this point can make the cream split. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
7. Plate and serve. Ladle the goulash into deep bowls or onto warmed plates alongside bread dumplings or crusty bread, making sure each portion gets a good spoonful of the creamy sauerkraut sauce.

Safety & hygiene Important

• Pork internal temperature. Make sure the pork is cooked through to at least 75 °C at the centre — after 50+ minutes of braising the cubes should be completely tender with no pink remaining.
• Avoid boiling the cream. Once the cream is added, keep the heat very low. A rolling boil can cause the cream to curdle and the sauce to look greasy rather than silky.