Karcag Mutton Stew

Karcagi birkaporkolt is mutton stew as the Cumanian shepherds of the Nagykunsag made it, and the rules are strict enough that the town runs competitions on them: mutton with the bone in, cooked in a cauldron over open fire in its own fat with onion and paprika and very little else, no water added beyond what the meat gives, and no vegetables, stirred by shaking the pot rather than with a spoon. It comes out dark, heavy and strongly flavoured, eaten with bread or with pasta squares, and it tastes of sheep in a way that is not softened. Karcag holds a stew festival, restaurants in town serve it year round, and the Cumanian identity of the region is worn openly.

What you actually see

• Mutton cooked in its own fat - no water, no vegetables, in a cauldron.
• The shaken pot - the stirring method the tradition insists on.
• The Karcag stew festival - the cook-off the town holds.
• Cumanian identity - the settled steppe people of the Nagykunsag.

When to go

Year round in restaurants; the festival falls in the warm months. Two hours for a meal. Portions are large and the dish is heavy; plan the rest of the day accordingly.

Honest expectations

Mutton is strong and fatty, and visitors expecting beef goulash are often taken aback. It is not a light meal at any temperature. Karcag itself is a plain market town with little to do around the eating.

Nearby

The Hortobagy is north; Lake Tisza lies west.