Polish Beef Stew Soup {Zupa Gulaszowa}

Anna

9 years ago

76 / 100

Polish Beef Stew Soup {Zupa Gulaszowa}

Even though spring comes in March, we don’t normally see spring weather in Poland until late April. This makes me think of steaming soups to help me stay warm. Perfect for chilly evenings here in Pennsylvania also.

This beef stew soup is my mom’s specialty. She’s an exceptional chef even though she does not like to cook. She says she eats to live, and in my case it’s very much opposite, I live to eat.

Poles don’t eat a whole lot of beef, as a matter of fact we export 90% of produced beef to EU or other countries. This is because beef is relatively expensive and was not always easily accessible. We have not learned how to cook beef the right way to enjoy a medium rare stake, but we do know how to make a mean stew out of possibly a fattier (and cheaper) cut of meat. Beef stew is a perfect example.

Beef Stew Soup {Zupa Gulaszowa}

Yields: 6 servings
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 1.45 hour

Ingredients

1.5 lbs of stew beef
8 c of stock or water
1 large onion
2 carrots
2 red bell peppers
5-7 medium potatoes
4 bay leaves
6-8 allspice berries
1 tbsp of garlic powder
1 tbsp of sea salt
¼ tsp of ground pepper
1 tbsp of paprika
1 tbsp of grease for sautéing

Instructions

Heat grease in a large pot. Sprinkle beef with salt, garlic powder and pepper and sauté over medium heat until golden brown (for about 10 minutes). Add chopped onion and sauté for another couple of minutes.
Add water or stock, bay leaves, allspice berries and simmer on low for about 1-1.5 hours (or until beef is very tender).
In the meantime, remove skin from peppers by roasting them on a gas burner or by placing them in boiling water for a few minutes. After roasting (or boiling) place in a paper bag (or glass dish covered in plastic) and let sit until they’re cool enough to handle. Peel, dice and set aside. Peel potatoes, cut into cubes and set aside covered in cold water.
When beef is tender, add sliced carrots, potatoes, bell peppers and paprika. Taste, add a bit more salt if needed. I added about 1 tsp at this time. Simmer for another 10 minutes (or until potatoes are tender).