Čobanac 🍲 Slavonian Shepherd’s Stew 🇭🇷 (Slavonian Goulash)

Description

Hearty, paprika-forward stew from Slavonia—beef and pork simmered with onions, peppers, and wine until the sauce turns brick-red and glossy. Rustic, smoky, bread-loving. 🍷🔥

Hook: Brown, bloom paprika, slow-simmer—tavern-depth in one pot at home. ⚡

Ingredients

• 🐄 Beef chuck, 2–3 cm cubes: 600 g (≈4 cups / 1.3 lb)
• 🐖 Pork shoulder, 2–3 cm cubes: 400 g (≈2⅔ cups / 0.9 lb)
• 🧅 Yellow onion, thin slices: 450 g (3 cups / 16 oz)
• 🥕 Carrot, sliced: 150 g (1 cup / 5.3 oz)
• 🫑 Red pepper, strips: 150 g (1 cup / 5.3 oz)
• 🧄 Garlic, minced: 12 g (4 cloves / 0.4 oz)
• 🧈 Lard or 🫒 sunflower oil: 30 ml (2 tbsp / 1 fl oz)
• 🌶️ Sweet paprika: 16 g (2 tbsp / 0.6 oz)
• 🌶️ Hot paprika (to taste): 2 g (½–1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🍅 Tomato paste: 30 g (2 tbsp / 1 oz)
• 🍅 Crushed tomatoes (optional but classic): 400 g (1¾ cups / 14.1 oz)
• 🍷 Dry red wine: 200 ml (¾ cup / 6.8 fl oz)
• 💧 Beef stock or water: 600 ml (2½ cups / 20 fl oz)
• 🌿 Bay leaves: 2
• 🌿 Caraway seeds (optional): 2 g (1 tsp / 0.07 oz)
• 🧂 Salt: to taste (≈12 g / 2 tsp)
• ⚫ Black pepper: 1 g (½ tsp / 0.04 oz)
• 🥔 Waxy potatoes, 3 cm chunks (optional): 400 g (3 cups / 14 oz)

Preparation

1. 1️⃣ Sear: Heat 🧈 fat in a heavy pot. Brown 🐄 beef and 🐖 pork in batches 6–8 min; set aside.
2. 2️⃣ Base: In the same pot cook 🧅 onion with a pinch of 🧂 8–10 min until sweet; add 🥕 carrot and 🫑 pepper 3 min, then 🧄 garlic 30 sec.
3. 3️⃣ Bloom & deglaze: Pull off heat, stir in 🌶️ sweet + hot paprika and 🍅 paste 30 sec. Return to medium heat; pour in 🍷 wine to deglaze 1–2 min, scraping fond.
4. 4️⃣ Simmer: Add back the meat with 🍅 tomatoes (if using), 💧 stock, 🌿 bay, and 🌿 caraway. Bring to a gentle simmer, cover 75–90 min until beef is tender.
5. 5️⃣ Finish: If using 🥔 potatoes, add for the last 20–25 min. Uncover to thicken to a spoon-coating sauce. Season with 🧂 and ⚫. Rest 10 min. Serve with crusty bread or polenta.

Total Time

🕒 Prep: 20 min
🔥 Cook: 1 h 30–1 h 45 min
⏳ Total: ~1 h 55–2 h 10 min

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