Beef Stroganoff

I love beef stroganoff, even though I rarely make it or eat it. We had some friends over for this dish, and it was funny how everyone associated beef stroganoff with Hamburger Helper. I think that is most people's memory of this creamy, meat-y, noodle-y dish. This version blows that version out of the water. Whatever preconceived notions you may have about stroganoff, throw them out the window and get ready for a comforting bowl of goodness!

I never really realized it before, but beef stroganoff is basically a beef stew with the addition of sour cream and mustard, served over noodles. We had a delicious smelling beef stew bubbling on our stove top, and I was decidedly nervous about adding sour cream and mustard to something that already tasted and smelled so great. Shea slowly added each ingredient though, stirring carefully not to break the sauce, and it ended up creamy, tangy, and perfect.

Beef Stroganoff

Courtesy of "Good and Cheap" by Leanne Brown

Ingredients
1 lb beef chuck or other cut
 salt and pepper
 2 tbsp butter
 2 onions, chopped
 2 large carrots, chopped
 1 tbsp flour
 2 tsp paprika
 4 cups water
 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
 1 lb mushrooms, chopped
 1 lb egg noodles
 ½ cup sour cream
 3 tbsp mustard

Directions
Chop the raw beef into bite-sized pieces and season generously with salt and pepper. Melt half the butter in a large saucepan on medium heat. Toss in enough beef to cover the bottom of the pan. You may need to cook the meat in two batches, depending on the size of your pan. Brown the meat on all sides, then set it aside on a plate.

 Add the onions and carrots to the pan and cook until the onions become translucent. Sprinkle with the flour and paprika, then cover with water. Drop the meat back in the pot. Cover the pot with a lid, but leave it askew so the steam can escape. Cook on medium-low heat for 2 hours. This process will make the beef tender and turn the water into beef stock. If you’re using a less tough cut of beef, you don’t need to cook nearly as long. Simply brown the meat, then substitute the water for 1 cup of beef stock and cook for 20 minutes. It’s a lot quicker, but of course tender meat is more expensive!

Meanwhile, in another pan on medium heat, melt the rest of the butter. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat them with garlic and butter. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let the mushrooms cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they brown and shrink. Turn off the heat and taste. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Cook the noodles (or any pasta) according to the package instructions. Try to time it to coincide with finishing the stew. Check on the beef. If the water has reduced to approximately a cup of thick, flavorful liquid and the beef is tender, it’s done! If not, let it cook a little longer. Once it’s ready, stir in the mushrooms, sour cream, and mustard. Turn the heat down to low to keep it warm until the pasta is ready. Once again, taste and add more salt, pepper, and paprika if needed. Put the noodles into bowls and top with the stew. Sprinkle a little paprika over top