Equipment
Ingredients
Base and Aromatics
- 400 g dried pinto beans
- 1 smoked ham hock
- 2500 ml water
- 1 yellow onion, finely diced
- 200 g carrots, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 100 g parsnip, peeled and sliced into rounds
- 2 bay leaves
- 2 g black peppercorns, whole
Paprika Roux (Rántás)
- 30 g pork lard
- 30 g all-purpose flour
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 g sweet hungarian paprika
- 3 g smoked paprika
Finishing Touches
- 150 g sour cream, room temperature
- 15 ml apple cider vinegar
- 10 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
- g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Place the dried pinto beans in a large bowl and cover with at least 10 centimeters of cold water. Let soak at room temperature overnight, or for at least 8 hours. Drain and rinse well before using.
In the large Dutch oven, combine the soaked beans, smoked ham hock, bay leaves, whole black peppercorns, and 2500ml of water. Bring to a boil over high heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface.
Reduce the heat to low, cover partially, and gently simmer for 1.5 hours. Check occasionally to ensure the ingredients remain submerged, adding hot water if necessary. The ham hock should reach an internal temperature of at least 74°C/165°F.
Add the diced yellow onion, sliced carrots, and sliced parsnip to the pot. Continue to simmer for another 45 to 60 minutes until the beans and vegetables are completely tender and the meat falls easily from the bone.
Using tongs, carefully remove the ham hock from the pot and transfer it to a cutting board. Discard the skin, bones, and excess fat. Shred the meat into bite-sized pieces and return the shredded meat to the soup. Remove and discard the bay leaves.
Prepare the roux (rántás): In a small skillet, melt the pork lard over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until it turns a light golden blonde color, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the skillet entirely from the heat.
With the skillet off the heat, immediately stir the minced garlic, sweet Hungarian paprika, and smoked paprika into the hot roux. Stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Immediately ladle about 200ml of the hot soup broth into the skillet, whisking vigorously to create a smooth paste.
Pour the tempered paprika roux back into the main soup pot. Stir well to combine. Simmer the soup for a final 10 minutes to allow the broth to thicken slightly and the raw flour taste to cook out. Taste the broth and adjust with salt if necessary.
Remove the pot from the heat. In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream with a few spoonfuls of the hot soup to temper it, then gently stir the warmed sour cream into the pot. Stir in the apple cider vinegar and garnish with fresh parsley before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Ham hocks vary wildly in their salt content depending on how they were cured. For this reason, never add salt to the soaking water or the early stages of the soup. Always wait until the meat has been shredded and returned to the pot before seasoning.
- The Hungarian technique of a 'rántás' (paprika roux) is non-negotiable for authentic texture and flavor. Blooming the paprika in fat releases its fat-soluble flavor compounds and creates the signature vibrant red oil droplets that characterize Hungarian soups.
- If you forget to soak the beans overnight, you can use the quick-soak method: boil the beans in water for 5 minutes, turn off the heat, cover, and let sit for 1 hour before draining and proceeding.
- For the most authentic flavor, source genuine Hungarian sweet paprika from the Szeged or Kalocsa regions. Grocery store generic paprika is often stale and lacks the complex, fruity pepper notes essential to this dish.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Flavors continue to meld and improve over the first few days.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze without the sour cream; add fresh sour cream when reheating.
Reheating: Warm gently on the stovetop over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Do not boil vigorously once sour cream has been added.
