This Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Pork Goulash is a tender and flavorful recipe, which uses pork shoulder and smoked paprika. It’s the ultimate comfort food recipe, ready in about 5 to 7 hours.

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Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Pork Goulash Ingredients

1.5-2 kg pork shoulder off the bone in one piece, skin off, fat left on
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 large red onion peeled & finely sliced
2 fresh red chillies deseeded & finely sliced
2 tbsp heaped generously mild smoked paprika plus a little extra for serving
2 tsp ground caraway seeds
1 small bunch fresh marjoram or oregano leaves picked
1 red pepper deseeded & diced
1 green pepper deseeded & diced
280 g jarred grilled red peppers drained peeled & chopped
400 g chopped tomatoes
200 ml vegetable stock
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
For the flavoured soured cream:
- 142 ml soured cream
- 1 lemon zest of
- 1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped

How To Make Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Pork Goulash

Prepare and brown pork: Score the fat on the pork in a criss-cross pattern all the way through to the meat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add a splash of olive oil to a suitable-sized frying pan and brown the pork on all sides. Transfer the browned pork into your slow cooker bowl.
Sauté aromatics and vegetables: Add the finely sliced red onion, deseeded and finely sliced red chillies, mild smoked paprika, ground caraway seeds, and picked marjoram or oregano leaves to the same frying pan. Cook gently for approximately 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add remaining filling ingredients: Stir in the diced red pepper, diced green pepper, drained and chopped jarred grilled red peppers, chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, and red wine vinegar to the pan. Stir the mixture well.
Combine and slow cook: Pour the entire vegetable and sauce mixture over the pork in the slow cooker bowl. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or on HIGH for 5-6 hours.
Prepare soured cream: While the goulash cooks, stir the soured cream, lemon zest, and most of the chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Shred meat and serve: The meat is cooked when it is tender and breaks up easily when pulled apart with two forks. Once cooked, tear or break the meat up directly in the slow cooker. Serve the goulash in a big dish or bowl, accompanied by steamed rice and your flavored soured cream. Sprinkle with the rest of the chopped parsley before serving.

Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Pork Goulash Recipe

Recipe Tips

Scoring the fat: Scoring the fat on the pork shoulder helps it render down during cooking, adding flavor and contributing to the tenderness of the meat.
Browning the pork: Don’t skip browning the pork! This crucial step adds a depth of flavor (Maillard reaction) that you won’t get from just putting raw meat into the slow cooker.
Adjusting spice level: For more heat, you can leave some seeds in the red chillies or add an extra chilli. For less heat, use only one chilli or remove all seeds.
Using fresh herbs: While dried herbs can work, fresh marjoram or oregano will provide a more vibrant and aromatic flavor to the goulash.
Serving suggestion: Serving with steamed rice or even egg noodles is traditional for goulash, helping to soak up the delicious sauce.

What To Serve With Pork Goulash

This rich and comforting pork goulash is a complete meal, often served with simple accompaniments.

Steamed rice
Egg noodles
Creamy mashed potatoes
Crusty bread
A side of pickled cucumber or coleslaw

How To Store Pork Goulash

Refrigerate: Store leftover pork goulash in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
Freeze: Allow the goulash to cool completely. Transfer it to freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop or in the microwave.

FAQs

Can I use a different cut of pork? While pork shoulder is ideal for its fat content and tenderness after slow cooking, you could potentially use pork leg or a leaner cut, but it might be less tender.
Is paprika important for goulash? Yes, paprika is the signature spice for goulash. Using a good quality, mild smoked paprika will give the dish its characteristic rich color and authentic flavor.
Can I make this in a regular pot on the stovetop/oven? Yes, after browning the pork and sautéing vegetables, you can simmer it in a large pot on the stovetop over low heat or in a covered oven-safe dish in a low oven (e.g., 160°C/325°F) for 2.5-3.5 hours, or until the pork is tender.
My goulash is too thin, how can I thicken it? You can remove some of the liquid, mix it with a tablespoon of cornflour (cornstarch), and then stir it back into the goulash during the last 30 minutes of cooking.
What if I don’t have fresh marjoram or oregano? You can substitute dried herbs, using about 1 teaspoon of dried marjoram or oregano in place of the fresh bunch.

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Hairy Bikers Slow Cooker Pork Goulash Recipe

Course: DinnerCuisine: British

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

500

kcal

A rich and tender slow-cooked pork goulash featuring succulent pork shoulder, smoky paprika, and a medley of peppers, perfect for a comforting meal.

Ingredients

1.5-2 kg pork shoulder off the bone, skin off, fat left on
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 large red onion, peeled & finely sliced
2 fresh red chillies, deseeded & finely sliced
2 tbsp heaped generously mild smoked paprika, plus extra for serving
2 tsp ground caraway seeds
1 small bunch fresh marjoram or oregano, leaves picked
1 red pepper, deseeded & diced
1 green pepper, deseeded & diced
280 g jarred grilled red peppers, drained, peeled & chopped
400 g chopped tomatoes
200 ml vegetable stock
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
For the flavoured soured cream:
142 ml soured cream
Zest of 1 lemon
1 small bunch fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Directions

Brown pork: Score fat on pork, season generously with salt and pepper. Add splash of olive oil to a frying pan and brown pork on all sides. Place pork into slow cooker bowl.
Sauté aromatics: In the same frying pan, add sliced onion, chillies, paprika, caraway seeds, and marjoram/oregano. Cook gently for 10 minutes.
Add vegetables and liquids: Stir in diced red and green peppers, grilled red peppers, chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock, and red wine vinegar. Stir well.
Combine and cook: Pour mixture over pork in slow cooker. Cook on LOW for 6-7 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hours, until meat is tender.
Prepare soured cream: In a small bowl, combine soured cream, lemon zest, and most of the chopped parsley.
Shred and serve: Once pork is tender, tear or break it up in the slow cooker. Serve goulash in a large dish or bowl with steamed rice and the flavoured soured cream. Sprinkle with remaining parsley.