Beef Stroganoff

 

Okay, so I know that this is not the kind of thing that gets people excited.  In fact, my sweetie HATES Stroganoff.  Or at least he THOUGHT he did.  He was imagining ground beef in a cream of mushroom soup-y sauce all served over cold egg noodles or the like.  This is NOT that stroganoff!  

For one, I try never to do cream-of-anything soup as a general rule.  I hate the stuff and it is so not good for my family.  I wanted to come up with a recipe that was slow cooked and full of flavour.  I wanted big chunks of mushrooms and golden onions, a delicious sour cream sauce and lots of sweet peas.  Even if you are skeptical, give this one a try.  I may not a be a great food photographer but the food will speak for itself!

Beef Stroganoff

recipe by Domestic Diva

1.5-2 lbs stew meat , cut into slightly larger than bite-sized pieces

1/3 c flour

1 tsp seasoned salt

2 c mushrooms cut into chunks

1 medium onion sliced

clove garlic, crushed

olive oil

2 c beef broth

1 c water

1 tsp beef bouillon

1-2 tsp balsamic vinegar

a few shots hot sauce

1-2 tsp worcestershire sauce

1 tsp paprika

salt and pepper

1 c frozen peas (I just grab a few handfuls)

cooked noodles, pasta or rice of your choice

First things first, get everything ready.  Cut your mushrooms and onions and set aside for when you need it.  Pull all of your ingredients and prep your workstation.  The key to happy cooking is having all of your tools (and ingredients) at your fingertips.

In a bowl combine your flour and seasoned salt plus a few cracks of black pepper.  Toss your beef in the flour.  In a large Dutch oven, heat a tbsp or two of olive oil over medium high heat.  Cook your beef in batches, browning on all side with a nice dark crust.  Lots of flavour in there!

Remove meat as it is finished to a bowl and continue to cook until all of your beef is done.  If necessary, add more oil and reduce heat to medium.  Throw in onions and cooking a few minutes until soft.  Add garlic, stirring 30 seconds and then stir in mushrooms. 

Cook until reduced and liquid has rendered and the mushrooms are starting to brown.  It will take a few minutes but makes everything very yummy.  Return the meat and any accumulated juices to the pot.  Cover with broth, water, worcestershire, balsamic vinegar, bouillon, hot sauce, paprika and a few twists of salt and pepper.  If there is not enough liquid to cover the meat just add a bit more broth or water.  Cover with a lid and place in a 325F oven for 2.5-3 hours, stirring occasionally.  Just allow the meat to cook slowly and release all of that flavour and get all soft and happy.  You can remove the lid for the last hour if you want but I don't think it is crucial, it just reduces the sauce down more, kinda concentrates those flavours and makes them even more yummy.  Stir in the peas during the last 15 minutes or so of cooking

Once this is finished, take it out of the oven and pour off about 1/2 of the remaining liquid but RESERVE it.  Do NOT throw it away, just in case!  To the pot, add 1 c sour cream and stir.  You can decide now how much, if any, of the reserved liquid to add back to make the sauce the consistency you would like and to taste.  Add more salt and pepper if necessary.  Stir in another pinch of paprika and you are done!  this is great served over whole wheat rotini, broad egg noodles (although not if you ask my husband) or brown rice.  It is super delicious and warm and filling.  I served it with a green salad and some homemade honey wheat bread and butter, just to sop up the sauce.  Great for a cold or rainy evening, which I am sure we will have plenty of over the next month or two.  

Go forth and cook my pretties .....