Húsétel

Húsétel is a Hungarian term meaning meat dish, and it refers to the meat-based main course in a traditional Hungarian meal. In classical dining, a typical sequence is soup (leves), meat dish (húsétel), and dessert (desszert), though modern menus often label the section simply as the main course. The term is used in culinary writing and on some restaurant menus, while everyday speech more often uses the broader category fõétel for the main course.

Húsétel covers a broad range of meat preparations, including pork, beef, chicken, or other meats. Common preparations include pörkölt, a paprika-spiced meat stew often enriched with onions; paprikás, meat in a creamy paprika sauce usually finished with sour cream; rántott hús, breaded and fried meat; and sült hús, roasted meat. Many húsételek are served with starches and vegetables, such as potatoes, nokedli or galuska (dumplings), sauerkraut, or mixed vegetables, and with a sauce or gravy that complements the meat.

Regional and seasonal variations influence the selection of dishes, with paprika and garlic as characteristic flavorings in many recipes. Sourcing and preferences for cuts of pork, beef, or poultry can vary by region and household.

In contemporary usage, húsétel remains a broad category for meat-based main courses on menus or in cookbooks, though some contexts prefer the term főétel. It reflects the central role of meat dishes in traditional Hungarian cuisine and household meals.