Peppered Beef Tokány | Tender beef strips in a silky sauce

Thoroughly pat the beef shoulder dry with paper towels, then cut it into strips about 4-5 cm long and pencil-thick. Finely dice the smoked bacon and onion, and crush the garlic.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, render the diced smoked bacon in lard over medium heat. When the bacon turns nice and golden and has rendered its fat, add the finely chopped onion and saute until translucent.

Increase the heat, add the stripped beef, and sear over high heat for 5-6 minutes until all sides are nicely browned. Stir in the crushed garlic, tomato paste, generous amount of ground black pepper, dried marjoram, and bay leaves.