Heat the oil in a 4 or 5 quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium until the surface simmers. Season the beef with salt and pepper. Add part of the beef chunks, enough to form a single layer with a little empty space to move the chunks around. You probably won't be able to cook the entire batch at once, so plan for two or three batches (or cook what won't fit in a separate skillet at the same time). Cook until the chunks are browned on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Repeat with the remaining meat. After the last batch, leave the juices and fat from the meat in the pot.

Add the onions and saute until soft and golden, stirring frequently. The juices from the onions will begin to loosen up any fond left behind from the meat.

Pour in the red wine and stir into the onions, scraping up the fond with a flat spatula. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the onions.

Return the beef to the pot, along with any accumulated juices, and stir well into the onions.

Scootch everything to the side. Sprinkle the flour, marjoram, and caraway seeds over the beef. Add a splash of your beef broth to the cleared area. Spoon the tomato paste and paprika into the cleared area and stir to create a paste. Add a little more broth if necessary to loosen the paste so that it's almost sauce-like.

Stir everything together. Add a splash of broth as necessary if the meat mixture gets too thick and pasty. It should be loose and saucy.

Add two cups of beef broth and stir well. If necessary, add more broth so that it meets the level of the beef broth. Stir in the diced tomatoes with their juices.

Raise the heat to bring the goulash to a gentle bubble — lots of bubbles breaking the surface, but not spitting or hissing. On my stove, this is just above the medium setting (not high). Cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar, and cook for 2 hours, checking on the pot every 20 minutes or so, to make sure it's not boiling, or not bubbling enough.

About 45 to 60 minutes into the cook, add the carrots, potatoes, and vinegar, stirring well. If the goulash is too "stewy" at this point — liquids not covering much of the meat — add another 1/2 cup of broth. Cover again with the lid ajar and continue cooking, stirring every 20 minutes or so.

Carefully taste the goulash, including a piece of meat. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Also, it's not at all traditional, but sometimes a teaspoon or two of brown sugar really livens up the goulash for American tastes.

If possible, let the goulash cool and store in the refrigerator for several hours before reheating and serving, to let the flavors fully develop. This is a great make-ahead meal that's even better overnight.