Classic Beef Stroganoff

Serves 4-6

by Rick Rodgers
from Fine Cooking
Issue 115
Last Edit Date: 12/15/2011 1:53:54 PM

This classic stroganoff recipe features thin slices of sautéed beef with mushrooms and onions in a sour cream sauce, all served over buttery egg noodles. It's a rich yet homey meal that comes together quickly enough to make even on a weeknight.

more about:

Kosher salt
1-1/2 lb. beef top round or shell steak, sliced 1/4 inch thick, slices cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
Freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbs. canola oil
3 Tbs. unsalted butter
10 oz. white button mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices (4 cups)
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (about half a medium onion)
1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
1 cup lower-salt beef broth
1 cup full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
1 12-oz. package wide egg noodles
1 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh chives

Tip:

Use reduced-fat sour cream at your own risk; it will likely curdle.

Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat.

Season the beef with 1 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Heat 2 tsp. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add half of the beef and cook, stirring often, until the meat is just browned, about 1 minute; do not overcook. Transfer to a plate and repeat with 2 tsp. of the oil and the remaining beef.

Remove the skillet from the heat. Add 1 Tbs. of the butter and the remaining 2 tsp. oil to the skillet and stir until the butter melts. Put the skillet over medium heat and add the mushrooms. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated and the onions are beginning to soften, about 3 minutes more.

Sprinkle the mushroom mixture with the flour and stir for 15 seconds. Stir in the broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits in the skillet with a wooden spoon. Add the sour cream and whisk until the sauce is smooth. Add the beef and any juices from the plate to the skillet. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is barely simmering. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to the package directions in the boiling water until barely tender. Drain and return to the pot. Off the heat, add the remaining 2 Tbs. butter and stir to melt. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve the beef Stroganoff over the noodles, sprinkled with the chives.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 510; Fat (g): 25; Fat Calories (kcal): 220; Saturated Fat (g): 10; Protein (g): 31; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 9; Carbohydrates (g): 41; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 3; Sodium (mg): 500; Cholesterol (mg): 120; Fiber (g): 3;

Photo: Scott Phillips

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by ashleywoodard85, 5/10/2013I love this recipe!!! I get the top round that is already tenderized and it makes a huge difference. I cook the onions before the mushrooms and that away the onions are cooked and not crunchy.

by JunePrice, 1/5/2013This recipe was okay but not great. I hadn't made stroganoff in years and my memory is that my old JOC recipe or whatever I used back in the 70's was much better than this. I did like it because it was fast and easy, but my two biggest complaints are that the top round wasn't tender enough and the onions were too crunchy. If I made this particular recipe again I would use a more expensive cut of beef and I would cook the onions first, and then add the mushrooms so that the onions could cook longer.

by DinsdaleNC, 3/10/2012Cannot agree with other reviewers who found this bland. I used 1 lb of mushrooms and some pretty good steak, and the depth of flavor was impressive considering there were no herbs & spices beyond just salt & pepper. Pretty easy to put together - make a double recipe and freeze some for later.

by 405tulips, 2/22/2012This recipe has replaced my old family favorite.

by TheMomChef, 2/20/2012We enjoyed this stroganoff thoroughly. It is comfort food at its best. I was a bit surprised that the recipe didn't have more punch considering the complexity of the classic update matched with it, but it was delicious. You can read my full review at: http://bit.ly/wqfHT9

by dmc154, 2/2/2012Found it to be a good recipe. Yes you can "tweak" it as other suggested, but hubby & I were satisfied with trying it just the way it was written. Comfort food that didn't take a lot of time & effort.

by sstern, 1/19/2012Made this last night as an homage to my mom who used to serve Beef Stroganoff as a special dinner. This recipe is a very good foundation to use and play with for your individual taste. I added wine and mustard to the sauce, as well as some cremini mushrooms, which gave it some nice body, and next time I think I'll use some Herbs d'Provence in addition. For the meat I bought some Prime Top Sirloin which was perfect, tender and tasty. Can't think of anything better to look back on my childhood 60's.

by Istich, 1/17/2012I did not read the comments before making this recipe either, ours turned out delicious :) I used regular salt & used plain yogurt instead of sour cream. Did not curdle.

by swisschick, 1/17/2012Interesting comments... you all should have gotten the 'bland' part just by reading the ingredients on this recipe. There are no spices added that usually are part of the Stroganoff (paprika, parsley, maybe some worcestershire sauce or a bit of demiglace, dijon mustard and tomato paste and salt...) there is one rule in my kitchen: when you are cooking, you must taste! If it tastes bland in the pan, how do you expect the flavour to develop on the plate? I'm not trying to sound condescending but cooking is not an exact science (unlike baking...) and there is always room for experimentation. DeborahMS was bang on!

by SierraC, 1/16/2012Everything was perfect but a bit bland on taste. I will be working from here to give it some kick. I think some red wine to deglaze the pan before the broth would help along with some red pepper flakes.

by mihod, 1/16/2012Agree with DeborahMS. I hadn't read the review before I made it. While I was eating, I had the exact thought.

by DeborahMS, 1/12/2012We thought this was good, very good even, but not great, when prepared as written. The following modest tweaks add flavor complexity and the elusive 5th star: Stir into the sauce along with the broth: 1 tbsp. tomato paste (I love the kinds in the squeeze tube!), 2 tsp. dijon mustard, 2 tbsp. dry sherry (didn't have brandy or I'd have used that), 1/2 tsp. dill weed, a pinch of thyme. Simmer while the noodles cook, then stir in the sour cream just before serving to help avoid curdling problems. You may need to add a few tablespoons more of broth or a bit of your noodle water if the sauce becomes overly thick while simmering.