Hearty game goulash: How to prepare wild boar goulash properly

Wild boar goulash is incredibly complicated and not suitable for beginners? Not at all! We've created an optimal guide so that absolutely everyone can prepare a delicious venison goulash. We also provide everything you need to know about the topic and have a comprehensive tutorial on the entire preparation process. Meat , spices, and side dishes – with this guide, you'll be fully equipped.

When making wild boar goulash , always use the neck or shoulder cuts. Cut your side dishes and the meat into bite-sized pieces and fry everything in a pot or roasting pan. Then, you can safely simmer your ingredients for a longer period of time. Finally, serve your goulash with dumplings or spaetzle.

Wild boar goulash - the preparation

There's a lot to consider when making wild boar goulash . We've created an overview for you that will answer your questions on how to prepare your goulash , along with some valuable tips and tricks.

Choosing the right meat

Not every part of the wild boar is suitable for goulash . Fillet and back fillet , for example, are prime cuts that are best prepared as steaks. These two are the highest-quality cuts of the entire animal. The leg is theoretically an option, but due to its texture, it's better suited to roasting.

That leaves the neck and shoulder . These two cuts are the best choices for a proper and tasty wild boar goulash . This game meat is rich in collagen, which has a very positive effect on the flavor (especially in goulash). You can safely braise the neck and shoulder in a roasting pan or pot. You can also buy pre-cut wild boar goulash from us.

Fun fact: The neck makes excellent pulled pork.

Beer, red wine or stock?

The question quickly arises as to whether you should deglaze and pour over your goulash with beer, red wine, or stock. After all, you want the goulash to retain its flavor while also refining it. Beer is excellent for this. It perfectly complements the natural flavor of the wild boar. However, if you don't like the taste of beer, you can also use red wine without hesitation. Red wine generally goes well with game. However, stock, or game stock, is always a good choice if you want to avoid alcohol altogether. There is no loss of flavor if the game comes from a good butcher. The meat always plays the most important role in goulash . Ultimately, it depends on your preference, as all three variations can be used in goulash . In this video, we cooked wild boar goulash with beer.

A simple recipe

Here is an easy recipe for wild boar goulash:

For a proper wild boar goulash, you'll need a wild boar shoulder , bacon , onions, potatoes, and carrots. First, remove the tendons and cartilage from the wild boar shoulder . Use a sharp knife to do this. Then, cut the shoulder into large cubes. To make it easier to eat, you should cut the meat into bite-sized pieces. If you want to save yourself the effort of cutting the meat yourself, you can also use our ready-made wild boar goulash . Now, prepare your vegetables and bacon . Dice the bacon , onions, potatoes, and carrots.

Now, get a pot or roasting pan ready and heat it up. A roasting pan is especially suitable for grilling or oven cooking. Now you can sear the bacon and venison . If you don't have bacon on hand, you can also use clarified butter or lard . Feel free to add a little tomato paste and wait until the meat pieces are golden brown.

Now you can add the vegetables to the roasting pan or pot and roast them lightly. Then pour beer over your goulash . You can also deglaze it with red wine or use game stock. This will create a flavorful sauce for your dish. If you need more liquid, you can add more water.

Now season with salt and pepper and add any other spices. Bay leaves, juniper berries, and thyme are fabulous additions. You can also refine your dish with a pinch of sugar and balsamic vinegar. If you're unsure and want to simplify seasoning, our game spice mix is ​​also a perfect choice.

Our spice recommendation

Game spice
Game spice
freybergers burger seasoning Burger Seasoning klein - natürlich von Freyberger
Freyberger's Burger Seasoning
gulaschgewurz Gulaschgewuerz80g vorneKopie - natürlich von Freyberger
Goulash spice
rotkohlgewurz KoenigsbergerRotkohlgewuerz80g vorneKopie - natürlich von Freyberger
Red cabbage spice
meersalzflocken maldon - natürlich von Freyberger
Maldon Sea Salt Flakes
islandische meersalzflocken Meersalzflocken Nordur Salt - natürlich von Freyberger
Icelandic sea salt flakes

Another recommendation: Burger Seasoning . This is our proprietary spice blend, suitable for any meat preparation. You don't have to worry about choosing different spices; you have a delicious spice blend ready for your recipes. Of course, you can still season your dishes with salt and pepper, but Burger Seasoning simplifies your spice selection and is suitable for everyday use.

Finally, just put the lid on your pot or roasting pan. Now you can let everything simmer on low to medium heat. On a grill , this means 150 to 180°C. The meat needs to braise for about 1.5 hours with the lid closed. This will make it wonderfully tender and give you a flavorful venison goulash. Finally, sprinkle your goulash with parsley and serve. If you'd like to see a video of the recipe, take a look here . Side dishes are a must, of course.

These side dishes go well with venison goulash

Various side dishes are suitable for venison goulash. Dumplings, Brussels sprouts, and red cabbage are the most common, however. Spätzle, noodles, or mashed potatoes are also good options. Those who prefer a more rustic style can also opt for bread. Black bread or hearty farmhouse bread is a good choice. Those preferring a lower-calorie option should consider rice or boiled potatoes. However, if you already have potatoes in your goulash , we advise against adding potatoes as a side dish. Beans, root vegetables, or mushrooms are also delicious additions to your dish.

Prepare your own spaetzle and potato dumplings

Only with the right side dish does goulash get an extra kick. Spätzle or dumplings are the best accompaniments. While one is quick and easy, the other is a bit more complicated. We'll show you how to make both.

Cooking spaetzle made easy

Fill a pot with water and heat it. Take some flour, eggs , salt , and water. Mix everything into a dough. Once the water boils, shape the dough using a spaetzle scraper over the pot. This way, your portioned spaetzle will fall directly into the water. Now all you have to do is wait until your spaetzle float to the top; they're done. Finally, rinse them with cold water to prevent further cooking. You can then serve them directly with your goulash or fry them in batches in a pan.

Potato dumplings - elaborate but delicious

You don't need many ingredients to make delicious potato dumplings, but you have a lot to do:

  • Floury potatoes
  • eggs
  • potato flour
  • Salt
  • nutmeg
  • Bread rolls from the day before
  • butter

Wash your potatoes, then place them in a pot of hot water and boil for 20 to 30 minutes. Then rinse the potatoes with cold water and peel them. Mash your potatoes using a potato ricer and add eggs , potato flour, salt , and nutmeg. Mix the dough and form it into small balls. If you want to enhance your dumplings, feel free to add a breadcrumb crust.

To make this, take your day-old bread rolls, dice them, and fry them in a pan with a little butter. Now, make a hole in the center of your raw dumplings and add the fried bread cube. Close the hole by pressing the potato dough all the way around, making sure your dumplings are completely sealed and evenly round. Boil water in a pot and remove the pot from the hot stove. Add the dumplings, cover the pot, and let them simmer in the hot water for about 20 minutes. Your dumplings are ready.

FAQ

You can make venison goulash tender by searing the meat on all sides beforehand and then letting it cook slowly with your vegetables and liquid in a pot or roasting pan.

The best way to prepare wild boar is as goulash. Take the neck or shoulder, chop it up with vegetables, and braise it in a pot or roasting pan.

You can make wild boar tender by searing the meat on all sides beforehand and then letting it simmer slowly with your vegetables and liquid in a pot or roasting pan.

The best place to braise wild boar is between 150 and 180 °C.

There's no need to marinate the meat for your venison goulash beforehand. You can use it right away.

Our conclusion

For wild boar goulash , it's important to choose the right cut. Neck and shoulder are best for this. Or you can use pre-trimmed goulash . Goulash itself isn't a particularly complex dish. Once you've cut all the ingredients into bite-sized pieces, all you have to do is cook it slowly in a pot or roasting pan. It takes a long time to cook, so you should allow yourself some time. Low heat is particularly good for tenderizing the meat , and the wild boar tastes best this way. What you choose to deglaze the meat with is up to you. Beer, red wine, or stock each have a different focus, but are equally good. They don't affect the braising time, and all three make the meat wonderfully tender. Classic game spices and our house-made spice blend are excellent for seasoning the goulash . As a side dish, we recommend homemade spaetzle or potato dumplings. Neither are complicated to prepare, but potato dumplings are a bit more time-consuming.