Beef Stroganoff

I found this recipe from the September 1999 Bon Appetit Magazine. Beef Stroganoff is a Russian dish of sautéed pieces of beef served in a sauce with sour cream. From its origins in 19th-century Russia, it has become a popular dish in America with considerable variation to the actual recipe. The dish is named after the Stroganov family, a distinguished Russian family involved in the settlement of Siberia.

Here is what you need for this medieval Russian recipe.

1 lb beef top sirloin
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1/2 pound small button mushrooms, thickly sliced
3 garlic cloves
1 ½ cup canned beef broth
2 tablespoons Cognac
2 tablespoons red wine
3/4 cup whipping cream
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch caraway
Egg noodles
1 tablespoon paprika

Pat meat dry with a paper towel.

First trim the fat off the sirloin.

Slice into thin strips, about 1/2 inch think and one inch wide. Bite size pieces. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in heavy dutch oven over high heat until very hot.

Working in batches, add meat in single layer and cook just until brown on outside, about 1 minute per side. Transfer to a plate. There will be lots of brown bits on the bottom, no worries, this is a good thing!

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in same pot over medium heat. Add chopped shallots and sauté until tender, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes.

Add finely chopped button mushrooms (about five) and garlic. Sprinkle with pepper and sauté until liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes.

Before adding broth and brandy.

After adding brandy (or cognac) and then beef broth. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, and then add two tablespoons of red wine – it was the red wine I happen to be drinking as I was making this. Simmer for two minutes.

Stir in whipping cream.

Stir in dijon mustard.

This is a very fragrant sauce. Picture before adding cream and dijon.

Adding cream.

Sauce after cream and dijon. You could also add sour cream in place of whipping cream.

Here is the plate of meat that we are going to add back to our saucepan along with any juices that have accumulated on the plate.

Simmer over medium-low heat until meat is heated through, but still medium-rare, about two minutes.

Season with 1/8 a teaspoon of caraway.

Give it two shakes of nutmeg.

Taste sauce and add salt and pepper if needed. This tasted so great, I couldn't stop "testing" the sauce.

To serve, cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain. Transfer to bowl. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter and toss to coat. Divide noodles among plates. Top with beef and sauce. Sprinkle with paprika.

The Dijon mustard and the caraway I believe are the two secret ingredients that make this stroganoff completely over the top. I think a good cut of meat is also crucial. Neither Jim nor I are particularly fond of mushrooms which is why I chopped these mushrooms pretty finely. I will ABSOLUTELY be making this again. Next time I would chop the mushrooms finer (and maybe even use less) AND I would like to see some caramelized onions in here. This stroganoff was easy to make (no special skills required), pretty quick, smelled heavenly, will fill your family’s belly and have them ask for seconds. I made these the Monday before I left on my week long business trip so this saucy beef stroganoff will go in the fridge for Jim to eat on while I’m away. I hope you enjoyed this hunny!