1 onion, diced
3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 lb bacon, finely chopped
2 lbs beef shoulder, cut into bite-sized chunks as for stew (trim any visable fat)
2 tbsp oil
2 teaspoons sweet Hungarian paprika
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 cups beef broth
1 tsp lemon juice
1 red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized chunks
1 green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized chunks
2 tsp dried marjoram
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp cold water
In a large stew pot, heat the oil over high heat. Toss in the meat in batches so that the outsides can get nice and brown. Season with salt and pepper. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl and continue until all meat is browned.
In the same pot, turn heat down to medium-high and add the bacon, garlic and onion. Saute until the bacon is cooked and the onion is translucent. Return the meat to the pan and sprinkle with paprika. Add the tomato paste and stir until all the meat is covered. Slowly add a bit of beef broth, stirring to incorporate all the flavors. Add a little more broth and stir to incorporate again. Add the rest of the broth, as well as the lemon juice and marjoram.
Reduce the heat to low, cover and let simmer for about 80 minutes. In the last 20 minutes add the peppers. I thickened my stew at the end by mixing together 1 tbsp of cornstarch and a bit of cold water. I added it to the stew and let it simmer and it thickened nicely, although wasn't super thick. You can add more cornstarch if you like or keep it as a broth. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Serve over cooked egg noodles or spaetzle.
