Hungarian Pepper Steak Recipes

EASY PEPPER STEAK

Steps:

• Sprinkle meat with paprika. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Brown beef. Add broth and garlic. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes. Add green peppers and onion. Cover and continue to simmer for 5 minutes. , Combine cornstarch, soy sauce and water; stir into meat mixture. Cook and stir until thickened. Gently stir in tomatoes and heat through. Serve over rice.

AUTHENTIC PöRKöLT (HUNGARIAN BEEF AND ONION STEW)

Steps:

• In a heavy pot or Dutch oven fry the bacon until done. Add the onions and cook over medium-high heat until golden. Add the bell peppers and garlic and cook for another two minutes. Add the beef and cook for a minute until some, but not all, of the pink is gone. Stir in the paprika and remove from heat.
• Add the remaining ingredients. Add just enough water to come up to just over the halfway point of the stew mixture (in other words, not so the water is covering it). Return to heat and bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 90 minutes. If the stew isn't thick enough, continue to simmer uncovered for a few more minutes so that some of the liquid evaporates. Add salt to taste.
• Serve with Spätzle (in Hungary they are shorter and stubbier, so prepare the dough accordingly or just use whatever method/shape you prefer - the texture and flavor of the dough is the same regardless). Or serve with boiled potatoes or wide egg noodles. A side salad, particularly a cucumber salad, is traditional. If desired, serve with a dollop of sour cream.

HUNGARIAN PEPPER STEAK

Steps:

• Heat oil in large skillet, add beef, sliced onion, garlic.
• Stir until meat browns and onions are soft.
• In a large bowl combine ketchup, soy sauce, brown sugar, salt, paprika, mustard and water.
• Pour sauce over meat; cover and simmer for 2-2 1/2 hours.

THE BEST PEPPER STEAK

Steps:

• Freeze the flank steak until the meat is slightly frozen and firm enough to thinly slice with ease, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Finely grate 2 cloves of the garlic into a large bowl. Peel the ginger and cut it in half. Finely grate one of the ginger halves into the same bowl; reserve the remaining ginger. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of the Shaoxing wine, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the sugar and several large grinds of pepper to combine. Set aside.
• Thinly slice the flank steak against the grain on a very slight bias into 1/4-inch-thick strips. Cut any extra-long pieces in half; the strips should be no longer than 3 to 4 inches. Add to the bowl with the marinade and stir to combine. Cover with plastic wrap or a lid and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.
• About 30 minutes before finishing the dish, use tongs to transfer the steak to a large baking sheet lined with several layers of paper towels and arrange in a single layer. Lay additional paper towels on top to help absorb any excess marinade. Set aside to take the chill off the meat.
• Whisk together the beef broth, sesame oil, remaining 1/4 cup soy sauce, remaining 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine, remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar and a couple large grinds of pepper in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Finely mince the remaining 2 cloves garlic and add to a small bowl. Finely mince the remaining ginger and add to the same bowl. Set aside.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of the canola oil in a large skillet over high heat. When the oil starts to shimmer, add a third of the steak strips in a single layer and cook until well-browned on the first side, about 1 minute. Flip and cook until browned on the second side, about 1 more minute. Transfer to a large plate. Cook the remaining steak in 2 additional batches, adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of canola oil per batch. Transfer to the plate.
• Lower the heat to medium high. Add the onion and a splash of water to the empty skillet and cook, scraping up any browned bits and stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the red and green bell peppers and cook, stirring frequently and adding another splash of water if the skillet starts to get too brown on the bottom, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 1 minute.
• Return the steak to the skillet and stir to combine. Whisk the cornstarch into the sauce, then pour it into the skillet. Cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thick and glossy, about 2 minutes. Transfer the pepper steak to a large serving platter and top with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with a side of steamed rice.