Beef Stroganoff
Life is hard; food doesn't have to be #144 [vol4, 9.2]
Welcome to a weekly letter of food in my kitchen. Need inspiration? Try some of these recipes.
The list of ingredients is few and this comforting dish is always a crowd pleaser. Instructions for both InstantPot and CrockPot, below.
Ingredients
2 lb stew meat or sliced sirloin
2 T avocado oil
onion, chopped
2 c broth
4-5 cloves garlic, chopped (omit or use powder)
8oz mushrooms, halved, sliced or chopped
1/2 c sour cream or more
1-2 t mustard (adds brightness)
if preferred, a thickener like corn starch or arrowroot
chopped parsley or green onions for garnish & digestion
Optional: pat meat dry and season with salt and pepper. My rule of thumb is 1t salt per pound of protein. If you can think of it enough in advance, allow meat come to room temperature before searing.
Serve with buttered egg noodles or mashed potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley. I like to add roasted or steamed broccoli…and sauerkraut (or other fermented food for digestion) if I have some.
Instructions for InstantPot
Searing is not 100% necessary but it adds such flavor. In my opinion, it is worth the extra work. That said, when I made this recently, I put a hunk of frozen meat in my IP then added everything else. It was still delish and no one thought to ask if I’d skipped the searing.
Turn the InstantPot to Saute. When it reads HOT, add oil then begin searing meat in small batches. Remove seared meat and add more oil if needed. Repeat until all meat is seared.
Add onions, a sprinkle of salt, and scrape along the bottom to remove charred bits of meat (which is FLAVOR!) If it continues to stick, add a bit of broth and continue working up all the bits of flavor.
Add all the meat back to the pot and garlic, if using. Add remaining broth.
Add lid and set for 15 minutes, high pressure. Natural or quick release.
Test the meat for tenderness. If it is still tough, add 10 more minutes. If it seems about right (easy to chew), add 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and seal once more.
[You can also saute mushrooms with more onions on the stovetop, if preferred.]
Once meat is tender, and liquid isn’t rapidly boiling, add mustard then sour cream. It’s ok to add sour cream to hot liquid — I just don’t advise adding sour cream to boiling liquid.
Taste. You probably need more salt.
See notes on ingredients (below) if you desire to thicken with cornstarch.
Instructions for CrockPot
Searing is not 100% necessary but it adds good flavor. In my opinion, it is worth the extra work. Put a large bottomed skillet on medium high heat. When it is HOT, add oil then begin searing the meat in small batches so as not to crowd the pan. Remove seared meat and add more oil if needed. Repeat until all meat is seared.
Put meat in CrockPot then add onion, garlic, mushrooms and broth. Cover and cook on low 8-12 hours or high for 6 hours.
Remove the lid, stir and taste the liquid. Need more salt?
Add dollop of mustard and the sour cream. Stir. Taste.
See notes on ingredients (below) if you desire to thicken with cornstarch.
Notes on Ingredients
Meat - I’m cooking for 4-5 hearty eaters and I want at least one portion of leftovers. So at minimum I start with 2 pounds of protein. Of course you can start with more or less, scale as needed.
Avocado oil - Since I sear the meat (for flavor) I prefer a fat that has a high smoke point. Tallow or traditionally made lard are also good choices. Olive oil will work if the heat isn’t too high.
Broth - I use homemade broth for the healing properties of gelatin, collagen, chondroitin, etc. You’ll add less salt to the recipe when using store bought broth. (I don’t recommend bouillon; it’s mostly salt and MSG.) Here’s how to make broth.
Mushrooms - Not everyone loves them. They add so much flavor! I mince the stems so the haters don’t know they’re eating them while keeping the tops either whole or cut in half (so the haters can push them aside easier.)
Thickener - put 2 T of cornstarch or arrowroot in a small bowl, then add 2T COLD water (always about 1:1 ratio). Then mix and pour into your hot liquid. Failing to mix in cold water first will result in clumps that will never go away.
I didn’t use a thickener when I made this recently. I did, however, put the broth to boil for a few minutes to become more concentrated. Then added sour cream (& some super thick heavy cream.)
Bon Appetit!
Life is hard; food doesn’t have to be.
Julie
PS - share this with a friend who needs meal inspiration.