Csángó Goulash with Sauerkraut and Rice | Hearty Hungarian One-Pot Dish

Rinse the pork shoulder, pat it dry, and cut it into roughly 2 cm cubes. Peel and finely chop the onion, and crush the garlic cloves. Taste the sauerkraut: if it is too sour or salty, rinse it in cold water, squeeze it out thoroughly, and cut it into shorter strands. Rinse the rice in cold water and drain.

Melt the lard in a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven. Add the finely chopped onion and sauté over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes until translucent and golden. Then add the crushed garlic and sauté for another minute until fragrant.

Remove the pot from the heat, sprinkle in the sweet paprika, stir quickly to combine, and immediately add the diced pork shoulder as well. Return to the heat and stir until the meat cubes turn white on all sides. Season with salt, pepper, ground caraway seeds, and bay leaves. Pour in about 1-1.5 dl of water, cover, and simmer the pork over low heat for 45-50 minutes until half tender, adding a little water to replenish the evaporated juices if necessary.