Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff
- Carbohydrate 3.84887559342707 g
- Cholesterol 31.18447541 mg
- Fat 9.72687670945691 g
- Fiber 0.340000009824162 g
- Protein 1.90112672001598 g
- Saturated Fat 5.4775899964591 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (181g)
- Sodium 134.044469236678 mg
- Sugar 3.50887558360291 g
- Trans Fat 1.39217517482573 g
- Calories 108 calories
Step-by-step
- In a slow cooker, combine the meat, soup, onion, Worcestershire sauce and water.
- Cook on Low setting for 8 hours, or on High setting for about 5 hours. Stir in cream cheese just before serving.
A glance at the component list fails to reveal how gelatin conversion dictates the final texture of the dish over extended cooking times. Tough cuts of beef such as chuck or round require prolonged exposure to sustained moist heat below boiling, specifically between 190 degrees Fahrenheit and 205 degrees Fahrenheit, to break down tough collagen into unctuous gelatin. When connective tissue melts, it thickens the surrounding liquid while rendering the muscle fibers tender enough to pull apart easily with a fork.
Swapping condensed golden mushroom soup for homemade stock fundamentally alters the thickening mechanism because commercial canned soups rely on modified food starches and wheat flour to maintain suspension during storage. If substituting a thin broth, whisking in a flour and butter roux at a ratio of two tablespoons of fat to two tablespoons of flour per cup of liquid prevents a watery sauce. This starch network traps free water molecules, ensuring a glossy coating on the meat.
Stirring in dairy requires strict temperature control because boiling heat denatures milk proteins rapidly, causing separation into unappealing curds and whey. Cream cheese contains stabilizers that resist this breakdown slightly better than heavy cream, but the appliance should still be turned off or set to the warm function prior to mixing. Incorporating the dairy off direct heat guarantees a smooth, homogenous emulsion that coats the palate evenly.
