Instant Pot Rindsgoulash [sic] is an traditional Austrian stew seasoned with paprika, one of many varieties of goulash found across continental Europe. The proper German spelling is Rindsgulasch, which translates simply as “beef goulash”. This particular recipe, along with the misspelling, comes to me by way of the Boston Junior League’s 1976 cookbook Presenting Boston… I have come to appreciate Junior League cookbooks for their elegant, inventive recipes and vague sense of snobbery. This and other Junior League cookbooks are the source of some of my favorite recipes. They’ve built up enough goodwill that I’ll let them slide on their spelling.
When I was growing up goulash just meant “red soup”, usually made with ground beef and a tomato base. Either potatoes or pasta were used for starch, and the whole dish was seasoned with chili powder. It was served without accompaniment as a one pot meal. A quick perusal of the interwebs shows instead a dish with a rich history, tracing back to 19th century Hungarian herdsmen. The variants are endless, with all sorts of starches and meats and seasonings. Common elements are slow-cooked meat, onions, and a heroic amount of paprika.
Rindsgoulash is reportedly a variant common in modern Austria, which has significant shared history with Hungary. I can’t find much on the origins of Rindsgoulash, but other internet recipes seem to agree on a few particulars. Beef and onion are used in roughly equal amounts and cooked in a rich sauce of red wine and tomato paste. The paprika is supplemented with marjoram, caraway seeds, and lemon peel. The Junior League recommends serving it with “nockerl [similar to gnocchi], noodles, dumplings, or boiled potatoes”.
I’ve made a few adjustments to the Junior League’s recipe, which is frankly kind of a mess. The ingredient list and instructions don’t seem to match up properly, but I was able to piece together sensible instructions from other internet recipes. Once I had the general idea, I made a few other other adjustments to suit my family’s sensibilities. My spouse dislikes caraway, so I’ve substituted dill seeds which provide a similar flavor profile. The original recipe calls for the rind of a lemon – I’ve added the juice as well, which adds some much-needed acidity. And the Junior League recipe just calls for “paprika” – I used smoked paprika because I had it on hand, but most traditional recipes call for a mix of sweet and hot Hungarian paprika. I used sliced onions rather than diced, since they were just going to disintegrate into the sauce anyway. Why waste life chopping? The most significant adjustment I’ve made to this recipe is adapting it for use with the Instant Pot. The original version of this recipe predates the Instant Pot by about thirty-five years, but it’s perfectly suited for this recipe. The pressure cook function dramatically decreases the cooking time, making Instant Pot Rindsgoulash accessible for a busy weeknight.
Instant Pot Rindsgoulash impressed the family. My daughter was surprised by the intensity of the lemon flavor, but apparently liked it well enough to clean her bowl. Following the Junior League’s recommendations I served it over dried egg noodles. Spaetzle or macaroni would also be good options if you’re serving it with pasta. I served fresh tomatoes on the side – a green salad would work well also. Enjoy!
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 large sweet onions (peeled and thinly sliced)
- 3 lbs beef chuck roast (cut in 1-in cubes)
- 2 tbsp smoked paprika
- ¼ tsp marjoram
- 1 tsp dill seed
- 1 6 oz can tomato paste
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 lemon
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- salt (to taste)
Instructions
Instant Pot Directions
- Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode. When Instant Pot is hot, melt butter, then add onions all at once. Saute onions until transparent and lightly browned. Remove onions to a separate bowl.
- Add cubed chuck roast to the Instant Pot and brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Then return browned meat and onions to pot and saute for 2-3 minutes. Stir in paprika and saute 2-3 minutes more.
- Press "Keep Warm/Cancel" to end the Saute program. Add marjoram, dill seeds, tomato paste, and red wine. Mix well.
- Put on the lid and cook at low pressure for 15 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Grate the lemon rind, which will give you about 1 tbsp of lemon peel. Add to the pot, along with the garlic, and juice from the lemon. Stir in flour, using a fork to break up large clumps.
- Add salt to taste. Serve with egg noodles, dumplings, or boiled potatoes. Top with sour cream or creme fraiche.
Conventional Directions
- In a large enameled Dutch oven melt butter over medium-high heat. Add sliced onions all at once. Saute onions until transparent and lightly browned. Remove onions to a separate bowl.
- Add cubed chuck roast to the Dutch oven and brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary. Then return browned meat and onions to pot and saute for 2-3 minutes. Stir in paprika and saute 2-3 minutes more. Add marjoram, dill seeds, tomato paste, and red wine. Mix well.
- Reduce heat, cover tightly, and simmer for about 2 hours until beef is tender but not mushy.
- Grate the lemon rind, which will give you about 1 tbsp of lemon peel. Add to the pot, along with the garlic, and juice from the lemon. Stir in flour, using a fork to break up large clumps.
- Add salt to taste. Serve with egg noodles, dumplings, or boiled potatoes. Top with sour cream or creme fraiche.