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)
🧈 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
1️⃣ Sear: Heat 🧈 fat in a heavy pot. Brown 🐄 beef and 🐖 pork in batches 6–8 min; set aside.
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.
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.
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.
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
Nutritional Value
🔋 Energy: ~450 kcal
💪 Protein: ~36 g
🧈 Fat: ~22 g
🍞 Carbohydrates: ~20 g
🧂 Sodium: ~900 mg
Advice
Bloom paprika off the heat before adding liquid—fat unlocks its color and aroma without turning it bitter. Let the stew rest before serving so the sauce settles and shines.
Why it works
Aromatics and paprika build a sweet–smoky base; wine dissolves browned fond; a slow covered simmer tenderizes meat while reducing to that signature brick-red glaze.
Twist
Game-night version: swap part of the pork for venison and add ½ tsp smoked paprika for campfire depth.
Status
Red, rich, and village-bold—Slavonian čobanac built for big spoons and bigger appetites. #grannyzen #croatianstew 🍲🇭🇷
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