Have you ever been eating something and think, “Who thought of this?” No? Well, because I was curious enough to look it up, I figured I’d share because sharing is caring - queue the intro to this blog post.

Fun fact: Beef stroganoff is traditionally a Russian dish that is comprised of stewed beef, onions, mustard and sour cream. Its origins are commonly mistaken for German or Hungarian, but it is a Russian derivative of a French cuisine called fricassée de boeuf. With the addition of sour cream, it became what we know as stroganoff.

My first introduction with this dish was of the frozen TV dinner variety - Michelina’s brand specifically. Whatever your feelings are about frozen entrees, I loved it. For years, it was my lunch and sometimes dinner of choice. That was of course during a time in my life when I didn’t know better. Before I knew the bounty of real flavor and this recipe is simple but still packed with flavor. If you’ve never had this dish, here’s your chance.

What you’ll need:

Beef - Ribeye is the ideal choice, but whatever tender cut of beef you choose will work. I like using sirloin because for a cheaper cut of meat, some tenderness remains if you happen to slightly overcook it. If you are short on time, you can skip marinating the beef.
Mushrooms - I’ve only used portabella mushrooms when making this recipe. There are many varieties of mushrooms that I’m sure could work for this, but to start, I recommend portabella. This varietal has a “meaty” taste and texture that compliments the beef well. Mushrooms can also be a replacement for the beef all together, if you’re trying to be more conscious about your meat consumption.
Mustard - Hot mustard is best for this dish. It offers just enough acidic tang with a kiss of lively spice the brightens the heavy cream and sour creams. You practically won’t know it’s even there. However, it is a necessary component that is missed when not used.
Cream - I use a combination of heavy cream and sour cream since I made the stroganoff with egg noodles. Heavy cream isn’t necessary but it adds a touch of richness that brings the dish together.

Beef Stroganoff

Yields: 4 servings

Prep Time: 35 minutes (includes marinating time) | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 65 minutes

Ingredients

1.5 lbs beef sirloin, cut into strips then cubed
1 small white onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz portabella mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup fresh parsely, chopped
1 1/2 cup beef stock
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp hot mustard
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp + 3 tsp all purpose flour
2 tsp worchestershire sauce
1 tsp maggi seasoning*
salt
pepper

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Instructions

Season meat with salt, pepper, maggi seasoning and 1 tsp worcestershire sauce. Marinate for at least 30 minutes. After marinating, coat the beef in 3 tsp of flour.
In a large skillet, on hight heat, brown all sides of the cubed beef and then remove and set aside.
Lower the heat. To the skillet, add butter and saute the onions, mushrooms, garlic. Cook until the onions and mushrooms begin to soften; about 5 minutes.
Next, slowly whisk in the flour, followed by the mustard. Once incoproated, whisk in the beef stock, the remaining worchestershire, sour cream and heavy cream. Simmer for 10 minutes.
After this time, return the beef to the pan and simmer for an additional 10 minutes. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper, if needed.
Finally, add the parsely before serving. Serve on top of egg noodles, mashed potatoes or rice and enjoy.

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