Premium Beef Goulash from Benz. Beef goulash made from large chunks in its own gravy, with a hint of pepper.
Premium Beef Goulash from Benz is a ready-to-eat beef goulash from the Benz butchery in Köngen: 50 percent prime cuts of beef, braised in our own house gravy. No reformed meat, flavor enhancers, or preservatives – 400-gram tin, two portions.
Buying beef goulash that is ready to eat and yet tastes like a Sunday roast – that was the motivation that led Gina Benz to put this goulash into a tin. A good goulash needs two things that are often missing in everyday life: meat from prime cuts rather than trimmings, and two hours of braising time. In Köngen, both are taken care of in advance. You simply heat the contents in a pot for fifteen minutes, boil some tagliatelle on the side, and the goulash is on the table before the pasta is even drained.
Tender cubes, dark gravy, a background note of pepper
The goulash from Benz tastes like slowly braised beef and the same gravy made in-house: dark, roasted, with the sweetness of onions and a slight note of tomato. The pepper comes at the end, providing warmth in the finish rather than heat. The meat cubes are cut large; they fall apart on the fork while still remaining recognizable as distinct pieces. When opening the tin, the gravy may look firm initially; that is the gelatin from the bones. After two minutes in the pot, it becomes liquid and glossy again.
What is striking is how restrained the seasoning is: paprika, caraway, and acidity play almost no role – this is a Swabian-style braised goulash, not a Hungarian pörkölt. The gravy is slightly thickened with cornstarch, thick enough to cling to pasta, yet smooth. Those who prefer it more robust can stir in a spoonful of mustard or a splash of red wine at the end.
Anyone expecting a goulash with paprika and caraway will find this version too restrained. And those accustomed to many small pieces might be surprised by the size of the cubes. Both are intentional: the meat should be the focus, with the spices in the background.
With tagliatelle, mashed potatoes, or in a leftover wrap
The tin serves two portions and should be heated in a pot over low heat for about fifteen minutes, stirring occasionally. If you are in a hurry, you can heat the contents in a microwave-safe container for four minutes. The classic side is mashed potatoes with butter and nutmeg; wide tagliatelle, Spätzle, or bread dumplings work just as well.
A few concrete ideas from our kitchen: serve the goulash with a spoonful of sour cream and parsley, accompanied by sourdough bread for dipping. Or roll leftovers into a warm wrap with arugula. For a stew, add a handful of cubed potatoes and carrots and let everything simmer for an extra ten minutes. If you need more gravy because four people are at the table, stretch it with half a tin of gravy from the same producer.
Good to know: The goulash is gluten-free and lactose-free, so you can serve it directly to guests with corresponding intolerances. It is not suitable for a goulash soup; it is too compact and not liquid enough for that. And for six people, you will need three tins: the portions are honestly calculated, but moderate.
A word on sides: mashed potatoes absorb the gravy best, Spätzle make the dish Swabian, and rice allows the flavor of the meat to shine through most clearly. If you want vegetables, go for jarred red cabbage or green beans with bacon. A simple green salad with a vinaigrette makes the plate feel lighter; the goulash is robust enough on its own.
From the Stauferland region into the tin
The beef for this goulash comes from the butcher's abattoir in Göppingen, and the animals are sourced from family farms in the Stauferland region and the Swabian Alb. Benz calls this product "Premium Goulash" because it uses prime cuts that would otherwise be sold as braising roasts in the butchery, rather than the usual trimmings. The meat content is 50 percent, at least 180 grams of meat per tin. The rest is gravy, which is exactly what Benz is known for.
It is braised in the same gravy that Benz also sells on its own: beef bones and vegetables from Köngen, reduced for at least 24 hours. The meat cooks in this until the connective tissue becomes tender. Only then is it filled and heated once more in the tin. This heat treatment makes the unopened goulash shelf-stable for about two years without the need for preservatives.
The actual trick lies in the braising. Beef from the leg or shoulder consists to a good extent of connective tissue, which remains tough if cooked quickly. Only after hours at a low temperature does it convert into gelatin – the meat becomes tender, and the gravy gains body. Anyone who makes goulash at home knows that moment when it suddenly becomes tender. At Benz, that moment has already happened inside the tin.
The company is run by the Benz family, butchers in Köngen for five generations. Master Butcher Daniel Benz, his wife Monika, and daughter Gina founded the gourmet manufactory in 2019. Gina, a Master Butcher and food manager herself, knows the farmers personally and develops the recipes. Her requirement for these ready-made meals: down-to-earth taste, without the time investment of braising it yourself.
Ready-made meal with a short ingredient list and meat from the butcher
The difference between this and a goulash from the supermarket shelf is in the ingredient list: beef, gravy, cornstarch, tomatoes, salt, spices. It contains no added flavorings, yeast extract, or sugar as flavor carriers. What goes into the tin could just as easily be on the counter at the Schwanen butchery. That is also why customers write to us saying it tastes like it was homemade – for a ready-made meal, that is the highest accolade possible.
This makes the goulash perfect for evenings when the delivery service would otherwise win, but also as a supply for the cabin, the camper van, or for parents who need something warm after a hospital stay. As a gift, it works well in a package together with the pork cheeks – two Sunday meals that can wait in the cupboard.
A beef goulash that a butcher has braised for you – all you do is heat it up.
