Székelykáposzta
Pork and sauerkraut stew
Székelykáposzta: pork and sauerkraut stew with paprika and sour cream
HungarianThe story goes that in 1846 the county archivist József Székely came late to a Budapest restaurant, found only pork stew and sauerkraut left, and asked for them mixed in one pot; the poet Sándor Petőfi, at the next table, liked it so much he ordered the same, and the dish took Székely's name. It is a pork dish, and a rich one: cubes of pork shoulder stewed with onion and paprika, then layered into rinsed sauerkraut and finished with plenty of sour cream and dill, so it turns pink, tangy and comforting. It is winter food, served with fresh bread, and many say it is even better reheated the next day. The usual slip is not rinsing the sauerkraut, which makes the stew harsh and salty; taste it first and rinse once or twice. Chef's tip: keep back a few spoons of sour cream to dollop on top just before serving.
- Total time
- 120 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
- 2 lb pork shouldercut into 3 cm cubes
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil or lard
- 2 onionsfinely chopped
- 2 garlic clovescrushed
- 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 tsp caraway seeds
- 1 tbsp tomato purée
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 ¼ lb sauerkrautrinsed and squeezed
- 10 ½ oz sour cream
- 3 tbsp fresh dillchopped
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Heat the 3 tbsp sunflower oil or lard in a large casserole over a medium heat and fry the 2 onions for 10 minutes, until soft and golden.
10 minStep 2: Add the 2 lb pork shoulder and cook for 5 minutes over a medium-high heat, stirring, until the meat is no longer pink on the outside.
5 minStep 3: Take the pot off the heat, stir in the 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika, 2 garlic cloves and 1 tsp caraway seeds (paprika burns easily), then add the 1 tbsp tomato purée, 1 tsp salt and 300 ml of the 1 ¼ cups water.
2 minStep 4: Cover and simmer over a low heat for 40 minutes, stirring now and then, until the pork is half tender.
40 minStep 5: Stir in the 2 ¼ lb sauerkraut, the 2 bay leaves and the rest of the ¾ cup water. Cover and simmer for 40 minutes more, until the pork is very tender and has reached at least 160°F.
40 minStep 6: Mix two-thirds of the 7 oz sour cream with a ladle of the cooking liquid, stir it into the pot and heat gently for 5 minutes without boiling, until creamy and pink.
5 minStep 7: Stir in most of the 3 tbsp fresh dill, taste for salt and serve in bowls with the rest of the 3 ½ oz sour cream and dill on top, with fresh bread on the side.
2 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 480 kcal
- Protein
- 34 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 33 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does székelykáposzta take?
- About 120 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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