There is no better comfort food than a hearty pot of goulash. This beef and pork beer goulash might be the king of all goulashes. With its malty-rich flavours of paprika and beer; combined with the tender cuts of beef and pork, this stew is a definite treat.
By popular demand, this reader-favorite recipe made it into my debut cookbook, German Kitchen-Classic Dishes!
About German Goulash
Goulash originated from Hungary, but it has been adapted over the centuries by Austrians and Germans. You will find many different goulash recipes in Germany. German goulash is deeply ingrained in the German Food Culture. I have written in detail about its German history and the iconic German goulash cannon in my article on German goulash soup. So have a quick glance over there if you would like to know more about the history of German goulash. For an authentic Hungarian goulash, I would recommend this Hungarian Potato Goulash Recipe.
More German Goulash Recipes include:
About this German Beer Goulash recipe
It is no secret that beer and beef pair wonderfully. So does beer and pork. This beef and pork beer goulash is a winning combination.
What beer to use for beer goulash?
This recipe is a variation of the traditional Bavarian beer goulash recipe that uses German black beer (Schwarzbier).
German Black Beer is a special type of beer that is very dark, as its name suggests. This is because of the use of the dark malt during its production. The roots of this kind of beer lie in the east of Germany: Saxony, Thuringia and Brandenburg. It is not very common and has a market share of just 1.6% of the German Beer market. [source: Bierpedia.org]
Here are 10 Schwarzbier brands in Germany.
- Störtebeker Schwarzbier
- Köstritzer Schwarzbier
- Neuzeller Klosterbräu Schwarzer Abt
- Eibauer Schwarzbier
- Freiberger Brauhaus Freibergisch Schwarzbier
- Bamberger Klosterbräu Schwärzla
- Braufactum Darkon Schwarzbier
- Buddelship Kohlentrimmer Schwarzbier
- Pfungstädter 1831 Schwarzbier
- Bergmann (Schwarz)
You probably can get these abroad in specialist beer shops but as I like to go to my local supermarket I opted for an alternative.
I used Erdinger Dunkel, which is quite common in England and can be bought in supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsburys. Erdinger Dunkel is a dark wheat beer that has a lovely malty flavour to it and rounds this dish off nicely. So if you cannot find a German Schwarzbier, use a dark beer as the malt content will be higher than an ordinary larger.
What ingredients do you need for Beer Goulash?
- 750 g (1.6 lb) diced beef (if you like you can use just beef or just pork, but I suggest the combination of both for a more interesting texture).
- 750 g (1.6 lb oz) diced pork
- 500 ml (17 fl oz) dark beer - see above suggestions which beer is best suited for beer goulash
- 750 ml (25,3 fl oz) beef stock/ beef broth
- 1 kg (35 oz) onions
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 3 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 2 tbsp cornflour or plain flour
- salt and pepper to taste.
How to make German Beer Goulash?
There are three ways you can make this beer goulash. On the stove in a conventional saucepan/ pot, using a slow cooker (affiliate link) (crockpot (affiliate link)) or in a pressure cooker.
Beer goulash in a saucepan
- Roughly dice the onions.
- In a large saucepan (at least 5 lr) melt the butter and fry the onions until translucent.
- Add the meat and fry until lightly browned.
- Stir in the salt, pepper, paprika, tomato paste and carraway seeds and fry for another minute while continually stirring.
- Add in the beef stock/ beef broth and pour in the beer and reduce the heat.
- Cook on a low heat for about 1 ½ or 2 hours until the meat is tender.
- To thicken the goulash sauce, carefully stir in a tablespoon cornflour / plain flour. Increase the heat, as this should thicken the sauce. If the sauce is still too thin, stir in another tablespoon of cornflour/ plain flour, until the desired consistency is achieved.
Beer goulash in a slow cooker /crock pot:
- Prepare the beer goulash and follow the instructions for beer goulash in a saucepan until step 4.
- Pour the cooked ingredients into your slow cooker/ crockpot and add the beef stock/ beef broth. Pour in the beer and set your slow cooker/ crockpot to high.
- Cook in the slow cooker (affiliate link) for around 5-6 hours until the meat falls off the fork. To thicken the goulash sauce, carefully stir in a tablespoon cornflour / plain flour. Increase the heat, as this should thicken the sauce. If the sauce is still too thin, stir in another tablespoon of cornflour/ plain flour, until the desired consistency is achieved.
Beer goulash in a pressure cooker
- Prepare the beer goulash and follow the instructions for beer goulash in a saucepan until step 5.
- Add the lid to the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Once the lid is removed, you can thicken the sauce by mixing in a tablespoon of cornflour. Bring the goulash back to boil with the lid removed to thicken the sauce. Should the sauce still be too thin, add an additional tablespoon cornflour until the desired consistency is achieved.
How to serve German Beef & Pork Beer Goulash?
This pork and beef stew with paprika and dark beer is a hearty, filling meal. I suggest serving it with the following side dishes.
- German Spätzle
- German Potato Dumplings
- Semmelknödel (German Bread Dumplings)
- Boiled potatoes
- Mashed potatoes
- Bratkartoffeln
- Pasta
- Vegetables ( such as carrots, brussel sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower or green beans)
- German red cabbage
Can I prepare this Goulash recipe in advance?
Yes, this is a great dish to make a day ahead of serving. The goulash tastes amazing warmed up as the flavours had time to develop.
How to store beer goulash
This goulash will stay good up to four days after being cooked. Store it in an airtight container in the fridge. It also freezes very well and will keep in the freezer up to three months.
More Goulash Recipes
If you like this recipe, you might enjoy these recipes:
- Wiener Schnitzel
- Turkey Schnitzel
- Frikadellen- German Meatballs
- Flammkuchen
- Riesling Chicken Schnitzel with Chanterelle Mushrooms and Grapes
This post was first published in March 2015 and updated February 2021
Recipe
German Pork and Beef Beer Goulash
Ingredients
- 1 kg (2 lb) onion
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 750 g (1.5 lb) diced beef
- 750 g (1.5 lb) diced pork
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- 500 ml (2 cups) dark German Beer see post for subsitutes
- 750 ml (3 cups) beef broth
- 2 tablespoon corn starch or plain flour
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Cook in a saucepan
- Roughly dice the onions into bite-sized pieces.1 kg onion
- In a large pot or Dutch oven (at least 5 quarts), melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onions and sauté until they're soft and translucent, about 5-7minutes.2 tablespoon butter
- Add both the beef and pork to the pot, stirring occasionally until the meat islightly browned on all sides.750 g diced beef, 750 g diced pork
- Add in the paprika, tomato paste, and caraway seeds. Stir everythingtogether and cook for another minute, making sure to stir constantly so thes pices don't burn.2 tablespoon tomato paste, 2 tablespoon paprika, 1 teaspoon caraway seeds
- Pour in the beef stock and beer, then give everything a good stir. Reduce the heat to low and let it simmer gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste500 ml dark German Beer, 750 ml beef broth, salt and pepper to taste
- Cover and cook on low heat for 1½ to 2 hours, stirring occasionally, until the meatis fork-tender and practically falling apart.
- To thicken the goulash, mix 1 tablespoon of cornstarch with a splash of cold water to make a slurry, then carefully stir it into the pot. Increase the heat slightly and let it bubble for a few minutes until the sauce thickens. If you'd like it even thicker, repeat with another tablespoon of cornstarch slurry until you reach your desired consistency.2 tablespoon corn starch
Prepare in a Crock Pot / Slow Cooker
- Prepare the beer goulash and follow the instructions for beer goulash in a saucepan until step 4.
- Pour the cooked ingredients into your slow cooker (affiliate link)/ crockpot (affiliate link) and add the beef stock/ beef broth. Pour in the beer and set your slow cooker (affiliate link)/ crockpot (affiliate link) to high.
- Cook in the slow cooker (affiliate link) for around 5-6 hours until the meat falls off the fork. To thicken the goulash sauce, carefully stir in a tablespoon cornflour / plain flour. Increase the heat, as this should thicken the sauce. If the sauce is still too thin, stir in another tablespoon of cornflour/ plain flour, until the desired consistency is achieved.
Cook in a pressure cooker
- Prepare the beer goulash and follow the instructions for beer goulash in a saucepan until step 5.
- Add the lid to the pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Once the lid is removed, you can thicken the sauce by mixing in a tablespoon of cornflour. Bring the goulash back to boil with the lid removed to thicken the sauce. Should the sauce still be too thin, add an additional tablespoon cornflour until the desired consistency is achieved.
Nutrition
Love this authentic German recipe?
This is one of 65 traditional dishes featured in my cookbook, German Kitchen-Classic Dishes - all tested, perfected, and handpicked by readers like you!
Rosemary says
In the instructions it says cumin seeds, in the ingredients it says caraway seeds.
Marita Sinden says
sorry its caraway seeds, I have corrected it now. Thanks for pointing it out.
Juneil says
What is „diced beef“ and „diced pork.“ Is it the same as ground chuck (i.e. hamburger) and ground pork?
Marita says
Hi Juneil, no it's not ground meat. It is a casserole meat, so meat cut into cubes. Hope this helps.
Lucy says
This is making my mouth water
Marita says
Let me know if you try it out.
Katie says
Marita treated me and our friend Lynne to this one evening at hers, and it was delicious, not too rich and the meat was perfectly cooked, if anything I wished there was more so be prepared to make extra just in case your friends and family are greedy like me 🙂