Beef Stroganoff
Beef Stroganoff - I copied this recipe from an old Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book back in the early 60s. Ive tried numerous other versions over the years but always fall back on this one -- it is the best!!!
Beef Stroganoff - I copied this recipe from an old Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book back in the early 60s. Ive tried numerous other versions over the years but always fall back on this one -- it is the best!!!
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 1/2 cup onion chopped
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour divided
- 1 pound beef sirloin steak cut across the grain, diagonally in 1/4-inch-wide strips
- 5 tablespoons butter divided
- 1 cup mushrooms thinly sliced
- 1 10.5-oz can condensed beef consomme or broth (i like the added richness of consomme)
- 1 cup sour cream or creme fraiche
- 2 tablespoons sherry or cognac
- 3 cups egg noodles hot cooked
- paprika and parsley for garnish
- Carbohydrate 73.286585 g
- Cholesterol 184.41190625 mg
- Fat 41.3348446875 g
- Fiber 4.24231871402264 g
- Protein 40.0870509375 g
- Saturated Fat 20.9324855 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (393g)
- Sodium 918.148375 mg
- Sugar 69.0442662859774 g
- Trans Fat 4.5385640625 g
- Calories 832 calories
Step-by-step
- Combine 1 tablespoon flour and the salt. Dredge the meat in the flour mixture. Heat a large skillet, then add 2 tablespoons butter. When melted, add the sirloin strips and brown quickly on all sides. Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic, and cook for 3-4 minutes or until the onion is barely tender.
- Remove the meat and mushrooms from the skillet. Add 3 tablespoons butter to the pan drippings. When melted, blend in 3 tablespoons flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes.
- Slowly pour in the consomme. Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Return the meat and mushrooms to the skillet and simmer until meat is heated through, about 2 minutes. Combine sour cream with a little of the hot broth (this tempers the sour cream and helps to prevent curdling), then stir in the sour cream mixture and sherry. Stir briefly. Heat through but do not let boil, just simmer for a few minutes before serving.
- Serve over hot buttered noodles. Garnish with paprika and parsley, if desired.
While heavy cream sauces rely on long reductions, beef stroganoff achieves its velvety consistency through a roux and careful dairy tempering. Slicing the sirloin steak diagonally across the grain into precise quarter-inch strips shortens muscle fibers for tenderness, while dredging them in a mixture of one tablespoon of flour and half a teaspoon of salt promotes immediate browning and provides initial thickening power for the pan sauce. A heavy skillet is essential here; cast iron or heavy-bottomed stainless steel retains the high heat necessary to brown the meat quickly without releasing excess moisture.
Using condensed beef consomme instead of standard broth introduces a concentrated gelatin content that deepens the savory backbone of the sauce without requiring hours of simmering. Fresh mushrooms release natural umami liquids when sweated alongside the chopped onions and minced garlic for three to four minutes. Canned mushrooms lack this cellular structure and will yield a rubbery texture and muted flavor. Cooking the aromatics directly with the seared beef captures fond from the pan floor, integrating those caramelized proteins into the base before the liquids are added.
Creating the roux requires melting three tablespoons of butter into the pan drippings and cooking the remaining three tablespoons of flour for exactly one minute to eliminate the raw starch taste. Tomato paste goes in for one to two minutes to caramelize its sugars and introduce a subtle acidity that balances the richness of the butter and meat. Slowly pouring in the consomme while stirring constantly prevents lumps from forming as the starch granules hydrate and swell under heat.
Sour cream curdles easily when exposed to direct high heat due to its high protein and acid content. Tempering it by whisking a small amount of the hot broth into the dairy raises its temperature gradually before it joins the skillet. Sherry or cognac adds a final aromatic note at the end, and the dish must remain at a gentle simmer rather than a boil to protect the emulsion. Serving this over hot egg noodles catches every drop of the finished sauce.
