Scheff’s Table: Beef Stroganoff

One of my very favorite winter dishes is beef Stroganoff. Many American versions of Stroganoff incorporate mushrooms, but this is a simpler, more traditional preparation. It’s truly delicious and very easy to prepare.

Ted Scheffler

February 16, 2018

Ingredients:

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. beef tenderloin or other high-quality beef, sliced very thin

4 Tbs. unsalted butter

2 Tbs. flour

1 tsp. dry mustard

1 cup rich beef bouillon

1/4 cup sour cream (regular or light sour cream both work)

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste

2 tbsp. chopped parsley (optional)

Note: To slice the beef ultra-thin, you could have a butcher shave it into thin slices for you. Or, if you’re preparing the beef at home, it helps to place the meat in the freezer for an hour or so before slicing. Partially freezing the meat makes it easier to slice thinly.

Method:

First, prepare the Stroganoff sauce. This can be done in advance of cooking the meat. Melt 2 Tbs. of the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour and dry mustard and stir with a wooden spoon, making a roux, for about 2-3 minutes. Gradually add the bouillon, whisking to incorporate it into the roux, until thick, about 2 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and set aside.

To prepare the beef, melt the remaining 2 Tbs. of butter in a large skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook until soft and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to high and add the beef. Sauté the meat rapidly, stirring, until just cooked through—about 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low, add the reserved sour cream sauce, stir and season to taste with salt and black pepper.

Serve the Stroganoff with potatoes or atop a bed of cooked noodles or rice. Garnish with the (optional) chopped parsley.

Note: Another attractive presentation is to simply put the Stroganoff directly onto a plate and top with matchstick French fries.

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Scheff’s Table

beef stroganoff, comfort food, Food, food recipes, foodies

Ted Scheffler

Originally trained as an anthropologist, Ted Scheffler is a seasoned food, wine, and travel writer based in Utah. He loves cooking, skiing, music, and reading, and spends an inordinate amount of time tending to his ever-growing herd of guitars and amplifiers. Ted is also the author of the Utah Bites newsletter, which is published in partnership with Utah Stories. Before moving to Utah, Ted lived in New York City, and numerous states in the US, as well as in various countries overseas, Spain, Japan, Canada, Brazil, and Mexico. He earned a Master’s Degree in Anthropology from the Graduate Faculty of The New School for Social Research.