Beef Stroganoff – A Classic Russian Comfort Food

Beef stroganoff has been a beloved comfort food for generations. When I was first married, I made it quite often. Longing for the good old days, I started making this delicious dish again.

Beef stroganoff was gifted to us by the Stroganoff family. According to an article in the Moscow Times by Jennifer Eremeeva, legend has it that Count Grigory Stroganoff (1770-1857) had terrible teeth. In order for the Count to eat hard-to-chew beef, his French chef created a fricassee de bouef by shaving cuts of beef into smaller-than-bite-sized morsels and then mixing the beef in a rich cream sauce.

Count Grigory’s son, Alexander Stroganoff, a celebrated gourmand, also had a French chef named Charles Brière. Alexander’s chef submitted a recipe for “Beef Stroganoff” to the Russian "L’Art Culinaire in 1891". Although Brière may have garnered praise for this recipe, it is unlikely he invented it as a recipe for Beef Stroganoff with Mustard appeared in the cookbook, Gift to Young Housewives, by Elena Molokhovets in 1861.

Beef stroganoff was all the rage in America during the 1950s and 1960s, although I never remember my mother making it. In the 1970s, its popularity waned. It consists of tender slices of beef quickly seared in hot oil, and onions and mushrooms sautéed in butter. The steak and mushroom mixture are combined into a creamy sour cream sauce and served over egg noodles.

Although we may be tempted to buy a cheaper cut of meat, we don’t want to use stew meat, chuck, or sirloin when we make stroganoff. To be tender, these cuts require a long, slow cooking process. Since we quickly sear the meat when making stroganoff, we want a well-marbled cut of steak.

I am so glad I started making this Russian classic again. We are not ready to put beef stroganoff to bed in our house. It is perfect for chilly winter nights, and bonus, you can prepare it in about 30 minutes.

Beef Stroganoff

Serves 4

1 pound boneless New York steak or boneless ribeye

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt to taste

Large grind black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons butter

½ medium white onion, chopped

8-ounces cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 cup beef broth

¾ cup sour cream

½ cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon large grind black pepper

Using a rolling pin, roll steak into an approximate ⅓-inch thickness. Using a sharp knife, slice steak across the grain into ½-inch thick, 2-inch long pieces. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large, heavy skillet, place olive oil over a medium-high heat. When oil sizzles, add beef strips in a single layer, cooking until starting to turn brown, about 1 minute per side. If necessary, sear in 2 batches so there is no overcrowding. Remove beef strips to a plate and cover to keep warm.

To the same skillet, add butter, onion, and mushrooms. Sauté 6 to 8 minutes or until onions are translucent and mushrooms are lightly browned.

Add garlic and sauté 1 more minutes until fragrant. Add flour and stir constantly to combine.

Add beef broth, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add sour cream, heavy cream, Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper and stir to combine. Simmer until sauce is creamy.

For serving:

Egg noodles

Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Green onion, thinly sliced, for garnish.

Serve over cooked egg noodles. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley or thinly sliced green onions. (I like to mix the beef mixture into the noodle mixture so it is well combined.)

Tips for buying beef with marbling: When buying beef, I consider three things—flavor, juiciness, and tenderness. The marbling in beef, white flecks of fat within the meat muscle, determines its flavor— the more the better. Beef sold in retail outlets is graded by USDA inspectors as either Prime, Choice, Select, Standard, and Commercial. Beef is also graded Utility, Cutter, and Canner. These grades are not sold in supermarkets but are used in commercially ground beef and processed food.

Prime beef has more marbling and, therefore, more flavor. It is the most tender and juicy grade of beef; however, it is higher in fat content. Since only 2 to 3 percent of beef grades out as Prime, it is the most expensive. Choice beef is less expensive than Prime but still has good flavor, marbling, and tenderness. Select beef has less marbling and is tougher and has less flavor than Choice. Standard and Commercial grades are even leaner than Select. They are often sold without a grading label or will be marked “No Roll” and will often bear your supermarket’s private label.

Carol Ann

Carol Ann Kates is the award-winning author of cookbook, Secret Recipes from the Corner Market, and international Amazon best-selling and award-winning author of Grocery Shopping Secrets. She’s an expert in how to shop, select, and store produce for maximizing home cooking outcomes and minimizing time and money spent. As a former supermarket and deli operator, Carol Ann shares grocery-insider wisdom—the same expertise you used to receive when patronizing a mom-and-pop establishment. Contact her at CarolAnn@CarolAnnKates.com and explore her website, www.CarolAnnKates.com.

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