This is the BEST beef stroganoff recipe. It will make your house smell amazing as it cooks, and will taste delicious when you sit down to eat. This dish is served over smashed potatoes instead of noodles.Unlike typical egg noodles, potatoes bring a richness of hearty flavor that combines very well with the beef stroganoff instead of being lost in it. Enjoy!
6mediumRusset potatoesboiled and smashed to a rough texture
1/4cupbutter
1cupsour cream
Instructions
In a large pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions until carmelized, then add garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Remove the onions and garlic to a bowl and cover with foil.
Add a little more oil to the pan and sauté mushrooms until they are tender. Set aside and cover with oil.
Pat dry and lightly salt the beef. Fry the beef on medium-high heat to brown. You are not trying to cook the beef through, only browning it to develop flavor. If you use strips they will probably cook through, and that’s okay. Tip: meat won’t brown if there’s no space around it to dissipate liquid; it’ll just steam, and then you’ll get grey meat that tastes boring. Leave a reasonable amount of space around each piece of meat as it cooks, and turn occasionally with a wooden spoon. Do multiple batches as needed and remove finished batches to a bowl and cover with foil.
When you are done cooking the meat, reduce the heat to medium, let any remaining juices start to cook off, and then deglaze with 1 cup Cabernet. Stir and get the fond off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon – you should have a whole bunch of it, and this is where your flavor is going to come from.
Add the stock and the remaining Cabernet. Bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and add the onions, garlic, and meat back into the pan. Stir to combine. Cover and cook over low heat for 2 hours.
After 1 hour, combine 2 teaspoon corn starch and 1/4 cup cold water. Stir until dissolved, add to the mix, and then stir immediately to thicken the sauce. Add salt and pepper to taste; this is subjective and dependent on the saltiness of your stock.
Stir the mushrooms into the mix for the last half hour of cooking. If you put them in at the beginning, they will disintegrate.
Remove the beef Stroganoff from the heat. Let cool, semi-covered (i.e. not totally exposed, but not sealed so you don’t get a layer of condensation on top), until room temperature; about 1 hour. You don't have to allow it to cool before serving, but the flavors meld beautifully once it's lowered in temperature a bit. if you're short on time, feel free to skip this cooling stage.
To serve:
Heat potatoes and mix with butter. Heat the beef Stroganoff through until piping hot. Remove from heat, add the sour cream, and stir to combine. Serve immediately scooped over a mountain of potatoes on each plate, and behold the deliciousness.