German Pork and Beef Beer Goulash

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.  

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. 

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 (crock pot) or in a pressure cooker.

Beer goulash in a saucepan 

1. Roughly dice the onions.
2. In a large saucepan (at least 5 lr) melt the butter and fry the onions until translucent.
3. Add the meat and fry until lightly browned.
4. Stir in the salt, pepper, paprika, tomato paste and cumin seeds and fry for another minute while continually stirring.
5. Add in the beef stock/ beef broth and pour in the beer and reduce the heat.
6. Cook on a low heat for about 1 1/2 or 2 hours until the meat is tender.
7. To thicken the goulash sauce, carefully stir in a tbsp cornflour / plain flour. Increase the heat, as this should thicken the sauce. If the sauce is still too thin, stir in another tbsp 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 for around 5-6 hours until the meat falls off the fork. To thicken the goulash sauce, carefully stir in a tbsp cornflour / plain flour. Increase the heat, as this should thicken the sauce. If the sauce is still too thin, stir in another tbsp 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 tbsp 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 tbsp 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. 

• Spätzle 
• 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.

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