Hungarian Bean Goulash (Babgulyás)

Ingredients

• 2 cups dried pinto beans, soaked overnight and drained
• 2 tbsp lard, bacon grease, or oil
• 1 pound smoked sausage, sliced
• 2 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 1 small celeriac, or celery
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 1 large green bell pepper, diced
• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
• 2 medium yellow potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1 small turnip, optional
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 3 tbsp Hungarian paprika
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• 1 tsp crushed caraway seeds
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 smoked ham hock or smoked neck bone
• 6 cups broth

Method

1. Heat the fat in a heavy pot and cook the onions until soft and translucent.
2. Add the smoked sausage and cook for a few minutes.
3. Add the celeriac or celery, garlic, carrots, pepper, tomatoes, potatoes, and turnip if using, and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the tomato paste, paprika, thyme, marjoram, caraway, bay leaves, salt, and pepper.
5. Add the soaked beans, ham hock, and broth.
6. Bring to the boil, then cover and simmer on low heat for 90 to 120 minutes.
7. If using a ham hock, shred the meat from the bone and return it to the pot before serving.