Marosszéki Heránytokány, or Hungarian~Romanian Beef and Pork Stew, is a delicious, hearty and rich stew, made complex with spices and tangy with sour cream. Affiliate links have been used to link to items I am discussing.
Maybe it is time to stop thinking of excuses and just tell you guys posts might be a bit fewer and farther between for the time being. But know that I am still here, cooking and baking! If you want to know what is going on with me, Instagram is the best place to find me, although I am on Twitter and Facebook as well.
Speaking of the farther between part, I made this a while ago. And I know it is not late spring fare. As a matter of fact, you know how looking at a long list of things to do can be paralyzing and so instead of working you make it worse by doing nothing? I started staring at this dish a month ago, frustrated that it was out of season. A. Month. Ago. Obviously I need to get over myself and just share it and move on. And remember to share it by social media next fall!
One of the reasons I was determined to share this Marosszeki Heranytokany, or Hungarian~Romanian Beef & Pork Stew, is because I have never shared anything Hungarian or Romanian and that seemed like it needed to be corrected. This is adapted from a recipe in George Lang’s Cuisine of Hungary, which holds a special place in my heart as the first truly thoughtful gift I ever bought my husband, long before he was my husband. The same husband whom I eventually kicked out of the kitchen but who spent time in Hungary as a student and therefore has a particular love for all things Hungarian including the food.
So for some reason the other day I realized my kids had never had gulyás, or goulash. And of course in immediately rectifying that fact, I landed on a different stew and made it instead! Slow cooked meat plus sour cream is always going to be a winner in my book. Having said that, this dish is super rich. If I made it again I would serve it as part of a bigger dinner with some vegetable sides and a leafy salad. It is way too rich to be served as a one pot meal, even as delicious as it is.
Traditionally I am not sure what, if any, starch this stew would be served with. But all that sour cream said potatoes to me, so I boiled some baby redskins and served them with it.
Closely adapted from George Lang.
- 1/4 lb bacon
- 1 onion, chopped
- salt to taste
- 1 T paprika (preferably sweet Hungarian)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 lb stewing beef, cut into chunks
- 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper
- 1 pinch caraway seeds
- 1/4 t dried marjoram, crumbled in your hands
- 1 cup dry white wine, divided
- 1 pork tenderloin, silver skin removed and cut into chunks
- 8 oz sliced crimini mushrooms
- 1 T bacon fat (I keep in freezer, you can also use lard or vegetable oil)
- 1 cup full fat sour cream
- 1 T AP flour
- 2-3 lbs baby redskin potatoes, boiled in salted water until tender
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Slowly cook the bacon in a medium-large Dutch oven, until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy. Remove the bacon and set aside.
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Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook until softened. Stir in the paprika with the half cup water. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes.
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Add the beef, a hefty pinch of salt, black pepper, caraway seeds, marjoram, and 1/2 cup of the wine and return to a simmer. Cover the pot and let simmer, gently, for 30 minutes.
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Add the pork tenderloin with the remaining 1/2 cup of wine and a pinch of salt. Bring back to a simmer and cover again. Let simmer gently for 2 1/2 hours. This stage could also be done in a 300 F oven if it is easier.
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About 25 minutes before serving, prepare the potatoes.
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About 15 minutes before serving, while the potatoes are cooking, heat the bacon grease in a skillet. Add the mushrooms with a pinch of salt. Cook until all of their water has released and they are starting to brown.
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Add the mushrooms to the stew and crumble the bacon in it as well. Stir to incorporate.
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Right before serving, whisk the flour into the sour cream, and then slowly whisk the hot stew liquid into the sour cream. When the sour cream is hot, then add it all into the stew and stir to incorporate. Bring it back to a simmer and then turn off the heat. Taste for more salt.
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Serve over the boiled potatoes.
According to Lang, both the Hungarians and Romanians lay claim to this stew, so I just gave it to both!
Looking for a Marosszéki Heránytokány (Hungarian~Romanian Beef & Pork Stew) collage to pin?
Hello! I am very thankful for this recipe, out here, but the authentic one does not have any paprika in it, but does have mustard.
Thank you!
This is one of those tricky situations where as a person not from the culture, all I can tell you is Lang, who was Hungarian, whom I closely adapted the recipe from, did have paprika in it (your comment did inspire me to double check because it is true I do sometimes change things although not usually that much if I have said “closely” adapted). In my experience regions and even households can differ when it comes to stuff like this. Actually, now that I am double checking his notes on the recipe, Lang does say some areas omit the paprika and increase the black pepper. I also note that in his book he identifies it as a Transylvanian recipe that he says both Romanians and Hungarians lay claim to, so perhaps there are differences there. I would definitely be intrigued to try this with mustard as it would cut some of the richness. Thanks for the tip!
Romania is not as fond of paprika as they are in Hungary so I am thinking of regional differences as both countries have a version of the recipe.
I have no doubt that it is made differently throughout both countries as well. When it comes to one pot meals especially there is very rarely a definitive version. It would not surprise me at all to see Lang’s book focus on a more paprika forward version since his focus was Hungarian cooking. Someday I would love to try making it with mustard instead or as well (in Bengal they would not hesitate to put dried chile pepper and mustard together!) because I love mustard forward dishes.
Being half Hungarian and having previously lived in Romania I can say I was happy to find this recipe and share it with family. Thanks Laura!!
I love hearing that! Thanks for the comment!
My Romanian-born husband loves when I cook this for him! “Tastes like Grandma”. LOL
PS for some reason – maybe it’s me or my subpar American stovetop or I have the heat too high – I had to add 1c water instead of 1/2c or it almost burns the beef/onions within a half hour of low simmer.
Hey every cooktop is different for sure. Follow your gut. I don’t believe in ever considering any recipe set in stone, but I love hearing your husband compare this to his grandma’s cooking. Makes my day!