This easy-peasy Home-cooked Beef Stroganoff is the simple stew version of traditional Classic Beef Stroganoff. A hearty dish that is best, especially when cold, rainy, and monsoon season is just around the corner. The dish has a delicious savoury taste and a rich sauce. This dish has become a family favorite, and just by using Instant Pot or pressure cooker for lazy weekend dinners.
The dish originated from Russia and is a simple stew made from beef, onions, mushrooms, dijon mustard, and sour cream. It goes well with boiled or mashed potatoes or rice. I love to pair the beef stroganoff with creamy cauliflower mashed and grilled mixed vegetables for a low-carb option for dinner. For kid-friendly meal, I will pair the stroganoff with egg noodles or fun, curly pasta for easy, weeknight meals or lunch.
There are some discrepancies as to the dish’s origin, as it could have been inspired by a French beef stew called boeuf à la mode.
The name “beef stroganoff” was first used by Swiss restaurateur César Ritz in 1896 to honor his patron Count Paul Stroganov who would often order this dish at his restaurant in Moscow.
What is the best cut of meat for Beef Stroganoff
For beef stroganoff, it is best to use tender cuts of beef that can be used for a long time without getting tough. One option is the sirloin tip steak, which is lean and flavorful. Another option is round steak because it has a good amount of connective tissue that will break down into delicious gelatin during the cooking process.
When making this dish traditionally, you would use the cheapest cut of meat available. Some recipes I found online, they are using pound ground beef (Ground Beef Stroganoff). However, when preparing beef stroganoff with a twist, using a more expensive cut is recommended for exceptional flavor, taste and texture.
However, the quality of the meat that you select will affect your recipe outcome. You need to find the right balance between flavours and textures to ensure that the dish is not chewy. Thus, types of beef and the cooking time are imperative because they get tender and then they get tough if overcooked.
There are many homemade beef stroganoff recipe available online, but this quick Beef Stroganoff recipe is one of the best I found on the internet and most straightforward to make:
- Meat for Beef Stroganoff: I used a grain-fed beef strips as it is economical and leaner than high-quality, healthy marbled steak. This type of meat usually has a lot of collagen, making the broth gelatinous and flavourful.
- I opted for beef bouillon cubes (Knorr) were more economical as compared to beef broth (Heinz). After the roux had cooked, I added 1L boiling water, let it boil first to achieve the cornstarch slurry consistency before adding the cooked beef strips.
Having a mouthwatering dish is great, but it’s not much fun when the meat is chewy. This amazing recipe will teach you how to make beef stroganoff that’s not chewy.
Ingredients for Beef Stroganoff
- 500g beef tender strips dust with flour
- 1-2 tablespoons unsalted butter for searing
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- One large yellow onion, sliced
- half cup brown fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 2 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 Bay Leaf
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 L/4 cups of warm water/cups of beef broth
- 2 bouillon cubes
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoon sour cream
- chopped fresh chives or coriander for garnish
Seasoning
Salt & pepper
Instructions
Heat up a heavy bottom dutch oven pot over medium-high temperature. Add olive oil, butter, and beef tender strips. Stir fry and season with salt and black pepper, heat until beef is caramelized with golden brown at medium-high heat. Remove the beef strips from the pot and set them aside.
Add 2 tablespoons of butter and saute onion until translucent. Add mushrooms and cook for 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and saute another minute. Sprinkle in flour and stir constantly for about 2 minutes until the mixture turns golden brown roux. Slowly pour in the boiling water and bouillon cubes while stirring vigorously until creamy texture. Add bay leaf and let it come to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.
Add the caramelized beef strips and cover with a lid. Cook for 20 minutes or until beef is tender. Remove the lid and add salt and pepper to taste. Turn off heat and allow the meat to cool down completely.
Whisk together sour cream, dijon mustard, and Stroganoff sauce from the pot in a small bowl. Pour into the pot and mix thoroughly. Bring back to a boil and serve immediately over the pasta, creamy mashed cauliflower, or have it with French bread for dipping. Garnish with chopped chives, bit of parsley, or coriander before enjoying this ultimate comfort food.
Optional
Serve the beef stroganoff with cooked Egg noodles. Stroganoff with Noodles is always a family favorite too!
Serves: 4
Cooking Time: 30 minutes
Prep Time: 10 minutes
