Goulash with Potatoes

This recipe is from the Pressure Perfect cookbook.

3 slices bacon, finely chopped

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

2 T red wine vinegar

2 T tomato paste

1/4 cup sweet paprika

2 t caraway seeds

1.5 cups beer or broth

2 bay leaves

1 tsp salt (omit if using salty broth)

3 lb beef chuck, veal shoulder, or pork shoulder cut into 1-inch chunks

2 lb medium red-skinned potatoes, peeled or scrubbed and halved

1/2 to 1 tsp dried thyme or marjoram

salt and freshly ground pepper

sour cream, for garnish

Heat a 4 qt or larger pressure cooker. Add the bacon and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until it begins to render some of its fat. Stir in the onions and continue cooking until they begin to soften, about 1 minute.

Stir in the vinegar, tomato paste, paprika, and caraway seeds. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in the beer, taking care to scrape up any browned bits sticking to the bottom of the cooker. Add the bay leaves, salt and meat. Set the potatoes on top.

Lock the lid in place. Over high heat bring to high pressure. Reduce heat just enough to maintain high pressure and cook for 16 minutes (beef) or 8 minutes (veal or pork). Turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to come down naturally (takes like 20 min). Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow steam to escape.

Skim off fat from top if possible. Remove bay leaves. Stir in the thyme or marjoram and season well with salt and pepper. Let the stew rest for 5 minutes (The potatoes will absorb some of the liquid and thicken the stew.)

Put into bowls and top with dollop of sour cream.

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This could use some carrots or green beans, and more seasoning. The recipe says you could put green beans in at the end during the resting phase, or put carrots in at the beginning and chop them up later (leaving them in larger sections will help them retain more flavor, apparently).

Anyway, it was good and we enjoyed it.