Mel's Kitchen Cafe Delicious Ground Beef or Turkey Stroganoff
The stroganoff version today is a remake from the classic creamy ground beef stroganoff I grew up eating. Nothing against that version (promise, mom!) but we greatly enjoy this equally fast and yummy stroganoff made with a simple homemade sauce instead of cream of mushroom soup. It’s such a perfect weeknight meal and the flavors are down-home delicious. Here’s my disclaimer: this meal will not win you awards and fame for gourmet cooking, but it will provide a wonderfully tasty, hearty meal for the enjoyment of all. Sometimes that’s about all you can ask for and I’m totally ok with that.
The stroganoff version today is a remake from the classic creamy ground beef stroganoff I grew up eating. Nothing against that version (promise, mom!) but we greatly enjoy this equally fast and yummy stroganoff made with a simple homemade sauce instead of cream of mushroom soup. It’s such a perfect weeknight meal and the flavors are down-home delicious. Here’s my disclaimer: this meal will not win you awards and fame for gourmet cooking, but it will provide a wonderfully tasty, hearty meal for the enjoyment of all. Sometimes that’s about all you can ask for and I’m totally ok with that.
- 1 teaspoon salt
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 3 tablespoons flour
- 1/2 cup light sour cream
- 1 clove garlic, finely minced
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground beef or turkey
- 1 small onion, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 8 ounces sliced white button mushrooms
- 4 ounces light cream cheese, cubed
- 2 cups low-sodium beef broth
- 1/2 cup lowfat milk
- cooked egg noodles or rice for serving
- Carbohydrate 0.1393415 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Fat 0.007009 g
- Fiber 0.056975 g
- Protein 0.0235425 g
- Saturated Fat 0.002107 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (2g)
- Sodium 620.2226 mg
- Sugar 0.0823665 g
- Trans Fat 0.000301 g
- Calories 1 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large nonstick skillet, cook the meat, onion, garlic, salt and pepper, on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to break up the meat into small pieces, until the meat is almost cooked through but still slightly pink, about 5 minutes. Drain excess grease. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until the mushrooms are soft and browned and the meat is cooked through, another 5 minutes or so.
- Add the cubed cream cheese and let the cream cheese melt over medium heat, about 2-3 minutes, before stirring in. Mix gently until the cream cheese is incorporated throughout the meat mixture. In a large liquid measuring cup, combine the beef broth and milk. Whisk in the flour until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps of flour remaining.
- Stir the beef broth/milk mixture into the meat and cook over medium or medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Let the mixture bubble and simmer until slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and add additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve over cooked egg noodles or hot, cooked rice. Sprinkle each serving with fresh parsley, if desired.
The Skillet Sequence
Start browning the meat on medium-high heat while breaking it into fine crumbs with a wooden spatula. Drain excess rendered fat immediately after the five-minute mark so the incoming mushrooms can brown rather than steam. Introducing sliced white button mushrooms too early prevents proper caramelization. Cook them until their liquid evaporates entirely and the edges turn golden. Whisking flour directly into cold milk and low-sodium beef broth prevents lump formation before the liquid ever hits the hot pan. Pouring this slurry over the meat mixture thickens the sauce evenly within three to four minutes of gentle bubbling.
Judging Doneness Without Tools
Visual cues replace thermometers when managing dairy-heavy pan sauces. Cream cheese requires two to three minutes cubed over medium heat to soften fully before stirring. Sour cream must fold in off the direct heat or at the lowest possible setting to prevent curdling. Sauce thickness is correct when the liquid coats the back of a spoon and leaves a clear path when dragged with a finger.
