Perkelt (pörkölt)

What it is

Perkelt (Hungarian: pörkölt — "fried") is meat that is first lightly fried and then slowly stewed in its own juice with a large amount of onions, lard, and ground sweet paprika. Only a little water is added, resulting in a thick red sauce that envelops each piece.

In Transcarpathia, perkelt is most often made with pork ("disznó-perkelt", from Hungarian disznó — "pig"), but it can also be made with beef, chicken, liver, fish, or even mushrooms. Garlic, fresh tomatoes, and sweet green peppers are added to the base.

Perkelt differs from paprikash in that it does not contain sour cream, and from bograch in that it is a main dish, not a soup. It is served with a side dish: tarhonya (dried granules of egg dough), small dumplings, or potatoes.

History and name

Hungarian authors have described perkelt as a typical dish of shepherds and peasants in the Great Hungarian Plain since the 1780s. Research on the gastronomy of the Berehove region links the spread of this technique to the transition of Hungarian cuisine in the 19th century from butter to lard, with paprika becoming the main spice of the dish.

In Transcarpathia, perkelt came along with Hungarian cuisine and became established primarily in the communities of Hungarians in Berehove, Vynohradiv, and Uzhhorod. It was also included in collections of Transcarpathian folk dishes published in Uzhhorod.

Ingredients and allergens

Variant: pork (disznó-perkelt)

Pork1 kgMeat for bograch, holubtsi, and homemade sausages.

Onion2–4 pcs.Fried onion in lard or oil is a common seasoning in Carpathian dishes.

Lard2–3 tbsp.Rendered pork fat for frying deruny and hurka.

Ground paprika1–2 tbsp.The main spice for bograch and Transcarpathian sausages.

Garlic2–4 clovesA seasoning for bograch, kiselytsia, sausages, and trout.

Tomatoes1–2 pcs.Added to bograch at the end of stewing.

Also: bell pepper (1–2 pcs.), tarhonya (egg barley) (200–300 g, to serve), salt (to taste)

Contains allergens: gluten, eggs

Variant: beef, with dumplings

beef, onion, lard, ground paprika, caraway, csipetke (pinched noodles)

Contains allergens: gluten, eggs

Ingredients of the traditional recipe; every cook and every place may do it differently — please ask when ordering. We cannot guarantee the absence of allergens or traces.

How it is traditionally made

Serves: 4–6 servings · Preparation: 20 min · Cooking: 75 min

• Pork — 1 kg
• Onion — 2–4 pcs.
• Lard — 2–3 tbsp.
• Ground paprika — 1–2 tbsp.
• Garlic — 2–4 cloves
• Tomatoes — 1–2 pcs.
• Bell pepper — 1–2 pcs.
• Salt — to taste
• Tarhonya (egg barley) — 200–300 g

1. Cut the meat into cubes of 2–3 cm. Finely chop the onions.
2. In a cauldron or thick-walled pot, melt the lard and slowly fry the onions until golden.
3. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the ground paprika — it can quickly become bitter in hot fat.
4. Return to the heat, add the meat, and fry on all sides until it releases juice; season with salt and add garlic.
5. Add the chopped tomatoes and sweet pepper, pour in a little water (just enough for the meat to stew, not boil), and simmer covered on low heat for about an hour, adding water gradually.
6. When the meat is tender and the sauce is thick, the perkelt is ready. Cook the tarhonya, dumplings, or potatoes separately.

How it is served

Hot, with tarhonya, small dumplings, or boiled potatoes.

Variants

Chicken and fish perkelt are stewed for a shorter time. If sour cream is added at the end, the dish becomes paprikash.

The traditional method as described by our sources; every family does it its own way. We have not tested this recipe in a professional kitchen.

Where it is eaten

The area is approximate and based on the sources below. The dish is cooked outside it too, and ethnographic borders are blurred.

Hungarian communities in Transcarpathia are mainly located in the lowland and foothill areas of Berehove, Vynohradiv, the outskirts of Uzhhorod, and Mukachevo. Today, perkelt is also served in establishments throughout the region.

When it is eaten

Occasions: Everyday food

In tradition

Perkelt is a daily and hospitable dish of Hungarian families in Transcarpathia. Today, it is on the menu of many establishments serving Hungarian cuisine in the region, and tourist guides list it among the main Transcarpathian dishes.

FAQ