One day when I was a teenager, I had an amazing revelation at my friend Bethany’s house. My life has never been the same. Until that day I dreaded the vile substance that was beef stroganoff. Seeing that nasty Hamburger Helper box at my house made me quake in my shoes. Yuck. When I found out that Bub’s mom (tops among friend moms) was making beef stroganoff for dinner, I steeled myself to be polite and choke it down. But then a miracle happened. It was delicious! As it turns out, beef stroganoff does not really come from a box at all!
One of my huge regrets is that I never got her recipe. But over the years I have done my best to recreate that tasty experience. I know mine is not exactly the same, but I think I’ve hit the high points. Lean chunks of beef, creamy sauce, fresh ingredients. Yum. Thanks, Mrs. S!
Beef Stroganoff!
Beef Stroganoff
1 pound sirloin sliced into bite sized pieces (or you can use beef cut up for stew or stir fry if you’re in a hurry)
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/2 cup sliced onion
8 oz. mushrooms, sliced
3 tbsp. butter
1 1/4 cup beef broth
3/4 cup sour cream
Noodles or rice
In a ziplock bag or bowl combine flour and seasonings. Toss beef with flour mixture until all pieces are well coated. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add one tbsp of butter and swirl around to coat the pan. In 2 or 3 batches, add the meat to the pan, leaving space in between each piece. Brown for a minute or two on each side, then remove to a plate while you do the next batch (add a little more butter to the pan for each batch). After the meat is done, add onion and mushrooms to the pan. Cook and stir a few minutes until onion is soft, scraping all the little bits off the bottom of the pan. Add beef back into the pan. Add beef broth. Turn heat down and cover. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. During this time you can cook the rice or pasta to serve with it. Stir in sour cream and heat through, but don’t boil. Serve over rice or pasta. I actually prefer rice, but the kids love it over curly egg noodles. I always get outvoted!
3hungrymonkeys 