Here’s a traditional Hungarian Pork Stew (Pörkölt) served with Hungarian Nokedli — hearty, rustic, and deeply comforting 🇭🇺🥘
Hungarian Pork Stew (Sertéspörkölt)
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp lard or oil
- 2 large onions, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional but traditional)
- 1 kg pork shoulder or leg, cut into large cubes
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tomato, chopped (or ½ cup crushed tomatoes)
- 1 green capsicum, chopped
- 1 cup water or light stock
- Salt & black pepper, to taste
Method
- Build the base
Heat lard/oil in a heavy pot. Add onions and cook slowly until soft and lightly golden. - Add paprika correctly
Remove pot from heat. Stir in paprika (this prevents bitterness). - Brown pork
Return to heat, add pork, garlic, caraway, tomato, and capsicum.
Stir until pork is coated and begins to release juices. - Simmer gently
Add water/stock just to barely cover meat.
Cover and simmer on low for 90–120 minutes, stirring occasionally, until pork is tender and sauce thick. - Season
Add salt and pepper near the end (traditional Hungarian cooking seasons late).
Hungarian Nokedli (Dumplings)
Ingredients
- 2 cups plain flour
- 2 eggs
- ¾–1 cup water
- 1 tsp salt
Method
- Make batter
Mix flour and salt. Add eggs and water gradually to form a thick, sticky batter (softer than pasta dough, thicker than pancake batter). - Cook dumplings
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Drop batter into water using a nokedli grater, spaetzle maker, or spoon. - Finish
When dumplings float, cook 1–2 minutes more.
Drain and toss lightly with butter to prevent sticking.
Serving
- Spoon pork stew over hot nokedli
- Optional: serve with pickles or cucumber salad
- A dollop of sour cream is common but optional
Authentic Tips
- Never brown paprika directly on heat — it turns bitter.
- Onion quantity matters: onions should almost melt into the sauce.
- Sauce thickens naturally — no flour in true pörkölt.
- Best paprika = Hungarian, fresh, and fragrant.
If you’d like, I can also:
- Convert this to chicken or beef
- Share a pressure cooker or slow-cooker method
- Explain the difference between pörkölt, goulash, and paprikash
Just say the word 😊
