Pörkölt

Pörkölt is a meat stew which originates from Hungary, but is eaten throughout Central Europe.

In Hungary

Pörkölt is a Hungarian stew with boneless meat, paprika, and some vegetables. It should not be confused with ''Goulash'', a stew with more gravy or a soup (using meat with bones, paprika, caraway, vegetables and potato or different tiny dumplings or pasta simmered along with the meat), or '' Paprikás'' (using only meat, paprika and thick heavy sour cream).
The traditional Hungarian stews: ''Pörkölt'' and ''Paprikás'' along with the traditional soup "Goulash" are considered to be the national dishes of Hungary.

There are different pörkölt variations from region to region. In most parts of Hungary ''pörkölt'' is made with beef or pork. The word ''Pörkölt'' simply means "roasted". Pörkölt is made of meat, onion, and sweet paprika powder. Tomatoes or tomato paste, green pepper, marjoram, and garlic are common additions to the basic recipe.

Fresh yellow Hungarian wax peppers are preferred if no paprika powder is available.

Any kind of meat can be used when making pörkölt. Most common are beef, lamb, chicken and pork, but game, tripe and liver can also be used. A variant of pörkölt, called ''pacalpörkölt'', is prepared using tripe. Another variation is ''gombapörkölt'', which has mushrooms in it instead of meat.

Much of the quality of a pot of ''pörkölt'' is found in the use of the very few ingredients. The spiciness and the taste of the paprika powder used is very important to the taste.

A simple Hungarian trick for making good ''pörkölt'' is first frying the onions in lard or oil, before making anything else. Then set aside the pot and immediately add paprika powder and the meat and "stir-fry" – (this is the origin of the verb ''pörkölni'' – to roast). This way the juices are kept inside. Water is added, the same volume as the meat. ''Pörkölt'' should be simmered slowly in very little liquid. Flour should never be used to thicken a Hungarian pörkölt.
In Hungary ''pörkölt'' is served with pasta (''tészta''), ''tarhonya'' (big Hungarian pasta grains) or ''galuska/nokedli'' as a side dish. Boiled potato is also a common garnish, and pickles go with the dish nicely, counterbalancing the heavy stew with a touch of sour.

Outside Hungary

There is a different style Hungarian ''pörkölt'' stew, ''tokány'', a Transylvanian stew that doesn't emphasize the use of paprika as much as the ''pörkölt'' in Hungary proper. These are stews using black pepper and kitchen herbs like marjoram for spices instead, often made with mixed meats, vegetables and wild mushrooms, depending on the season and the region. ''Tokány'' is often served topped with sour cream, and ''puliszka'' (polenta) or boiled potatoes are served as the side dish.

In the Czech Republic'' pörkölt'' is made with pork, beer, dark bread and caraway. Often large Czech ''knedlíky'' dumplings are served with it. In Slovakia the dish is called ''perkelt'' and is served with ''Halušky'' dumplings. Goulash (Polish: ''Gulasz'') is similar to Hungarian ''Pörkölt'', and is also popular in Poland, usually being eaten with potatoes.

See also

* List of stews

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Porkolt
Hungarian stews
Romanian cuisine
Slovak cuisine
Austrian cuisine
Czech cuisine
Croatian cuisine
Serbian cuisine
Porkolot
Hungarian words and phrases
Montenegrin cuisine
Meat stews