Oven-baked goulash: A versatile delight with rich flavour
Pork goulash pairs wonderfully with a variety of accompaniments. It complements potatoes, rice, or groats well, and some say it tastes best with potato pancakes. However, a good goulash doesn't require any extras. A slice of fresh bread to dip into the rich, tasty sauce is perfectly sufficient.
You can make goulash from different cuts of meat, but each choice will influence the dish's flavour. Shoulder or neck meat contains more fat than ham, which might result in a slightly drier goulash. If you decide to substitute pork for beef, remember to double the cooking time for the meat.
What vegetables for oven-baked goulash?
When selecting vegetables, you have nearly endless options. You can add potatoes to your goulash, meaning you won't need to prepare separate sides. However, I believe the best vegetables maintain their flavour even after prolonged cooking, beautifully enhancing the taste of the meat.
I choose carrots for added sweetness, bell peppers for extra boldness, chilli peppers for more spiciness, and mushrooms, which complement the other ingredients nicely. However, you can certainly add courgette, aubergine, broccoli, or green beans if you enjoy these flavours with meat. For aubergine, remember to sprinkle it with salt and rinse it beforehand to remove any potential bitterness.
Recipe for oven-baked goulash
The key to this recipe is pre-searing the meat in a pan. If you have a pot suitable for frying and baking, you can prepare the entire dish in it.
Ingredients:
- 1.8 lbs of pork shoulder or neck,
- Spices for the meat: salt, pepper, ground paprika,
- 1 tablespoon of flour,
- Oil for frying,
- 2 onions,
- 2 cloves of garlic,
- 2 carrots,
- 7 oz of mushrooms,
- 1 red bell pepper,
- 1 chilli pepper,
- 0.35 pints of vegetable stock,
- 2.5 oz of tomato paste,
- 1 teaspoon of sugar,
- 2 bay leaves,
- 2 allspice berries,
- A few sprigs of fresh or dried thyme.
Method:
- Cut the meat into smaller pieces and sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt, freshly ground pepper, and ground paprika. Mix the meat with your hands to ensure the spices are evenly distributed.
- Next, coat the meat in flour and quickly sear it in hot oil in a pan. Transfer the prepared meat to an ovenproof dish.
- Add the chopped vegetables—onions, garlic, carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, and chilli pepper.
- Combine the stock with tomato paste, a tablespoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, and pepper in a saucepan. Pour this preliminary sauce over the meat and vegetables in the roasting pan. In a saucepan, combine the stock,
- Add the bay leaves, allspice, and thyme. Cover with a lid or aluminium foil and place in an oven preheated to 356 degrees Fahrenheit for 60 minutes.
- Remove the lid or foil about 15 minutes before the end of baking to allow some of the water to evaporate and thicken the sauce.
