Goulash Soup with Venison or Beef (Gulaschsuppe mit Wild)
Ingredients for Marinade:
- 1000 g (2.2 lbs) venison roast or beef roast (if pre-cut, make sure the cubes aren’t too big)
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 ½ teaspoons of thyme
- 8 juniper berries
- 946 ml (32 oz) of buttermilk
- 500 ml (17 oz) of red wine
Ingredients for Soup:
- 100 g (3.5 oz) pork fat (OR) lard
- 822 g (29 oz) of tomato sauce (canned)
- 1 teaspoon of caraway seeds
- 3 teaspoons of salt
- ½ teaspoon of paprika
- 100 g (3.5 oz) of carrots
- 500 g (17.5 oz) of onions
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 1 ½ l (1.5 quarts) of water
- 6 fresh peppers (in a variety of colors)
- 2 tablespoons of red wine
- 3 tablespoons of crème fraîche (OR) sour cream
- 1 ½ teaspoons of sugar
Preparation for marinade:
With a whisk, mix the red wine and buttermilk together. Add in bay leaves, thyme, and juniper berries. Cut your meat into small cubes and add them in the marinade. The meat should be completely covered in the liquid. Marinate it in the refrigerator overnight.
Preparation for Soup:
Remove the meat out of the marinade and dry the meat cubes with a paper kitchen towel. Cut the pork fat in small pieces and fry it in a pan until the fat has melted. Remove any leftover greaves. Cut the onions in stripes, press the cloves of garlic through a garlic press and fry both in the fat until they become transparent. (NOTE: The melted cooking fat can be substituted with 3 tablespoons of oil, if preferred.) Add in the dried meat cubes and fry. When the meat has browned, add in the diced peppers, the sliced carrots, and chopped jalapeño pepper. Mix it all and let it cook (while stirring from time to time) for about 10 minutes.
To create the soup, add the canned tomatoes and water. Add salt, paprika, and caraway seeds and stir. Turn the heat down to medium and let it cook for about 1 1/2 hours.
[Click on pictures to enlarge.]
After your soup has cooked for the recommended time, add in the red wine, sugar, and crème fraîche. Stir the soup until the crème fraîche has dissolved. Taste the soup before you add any seasoning. If you prefer to have your soup less thick, just mix in a little more water. DONE!
