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Today’s Beef Stroganoff recipe is another one of those “What took us so long to get this on our blog?” recipes!
My husband Jack has made this delicious Beef Stroganoff countless times over the years. In a professional kitchen, all of the prep – except for cooking the beef – is done ahead of time. Then – when a customer orders Beef Stroganoff – the beef is seared, served over noodles, and topped with a fantastically-flavored, creamy sauce.
At home – the same process applies – so the sauce in this Beef Stroganoff recipe can actually be made ahead of time and refrigerated until you’re ready to serve dinner. (Perfect for a busy weeknight dinner – or for feeding a crowd!)
Selecting the right cut of beef is also critical to the success of this Beef Stroganoff!
The original dish served to the Czar of Russia used prime tenderloin. But the problem with using prime tenderloin (aside from the cost) is that it is very easy to over-cook it – especially in a dish like this – and there is nothing worse than tough, overcooked beef! A less-expensive chuck roast has great flavor, but to get it tender, you’ll need to cook it for hours – and at that point the dish becomes stew and not stroganoff.
So for our money, we think the perfect cut of beef to use in Beef Stroganoff is rib-eye. The meat is veined with fat – which makes it delicious and tender – and it is a cut of beef that is hard to mess up! (Even if you cook it a bit too long – it will still be delicious!)
One last thing: How you cook the mushrooms in a Beef Stroganoff is just as important as how you cook the beef! (And of course, we give you step by step instructions below.) 🙂
We strongly believe that the mushrooms in a Beef Stroganoff should still have some bite to them so that they are a hearty and flavorful part of the dish. Do your best not to over-cook them, and don’t even think about swapping canned mushrooms! (Fresh is always best!)
We love seeing what you made! Tag us on Instagram at @afamilyfeast or hashtag #afamilyfeast so we can see your creations!
Beef Stroganoff
If serving with egg noodles, cook them ahead and cool. When ready to serve, dip in hot water to reheat. This dish is also good served with mashed potatoes. And interestingly – the original Beef Stroganoff from the 1800s was served over potato straws and did not have mushrooms. (In fact, it looked nothing like the way Americans serve this dish today.)
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons of butter, divided
- 1 pound fresh Cremini mushrooms sliced into 1/4 inch thick slices (aka baby portobello mushrooms)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 pound onions, cut into medium strips the long way
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1 tablespoon country Dijon mustard (this is a product that mixes whole grain and smooth Dijon)
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 pounds trimmed rib-eye steak, cut into cubes approximately 1 1/2 inches
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons cognac or brandy
- Chopped parsley for garnish, optional
- Wide egg noodles, see note above
Instructions
- In a very large sauté pan or skillet, preferably non-stick, heat 1 ½ tablespoons of butter over high heat until just starting to brown.
- Add only half of the mushroom slices and using a wooden spoon lay out in a single layer. After two minutes flip them to brown the other side. This is a bit tedious but worth it. After the other side has browned, pour contents onto a waiting plate or platter. Each batch should take 4-5 minutes.
- Cook the second half the same way by melting 1 ½ tablespoons of butter, cooking mushrooms in a single layer, etc. Once the second batch is cooked, add the first batch back into the pan and add the salt and pepper and stir to coat.
- Take the pan off the burner and add the cognac or brandy. The liquor will immediately evaporate. Pour the contents back onto the plate in a single layer. If you did this right, there should be no liquid on the plate, just perfectly cooked browned mushrooms. Set this aside.
- Return the pan to the burner and set at medium high.
- Add 2 tablespoons of butter and onions and cook for up to ten minutes to get tender. If they brown too quickly, reduce heat to medium.
- Add tomato paste and stir and cook for one minute.
- Add flour and stir and cook for another minute.
- Add half the stock and stir with a wooden spoon. Once combined add the rest of the stock and stir. Mixture will be thick.
- Stir in mustard and sour cream and then cooked mushrooms and remove from the heat. Pour this mixture into a bowl and clean the pan.
- Lay the beef cubes on a cutting board and dust both sides with salt, pepper and the flour.
- Heat the same pan back up to high and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the olive oil. Once the butter starts to brown, place half of the beef cubes in using tongs one at a time, not letting them touch.
- Sear about 1-2 minutes on both sides, and on larger pieces, sear the sides. As each piece is perfectly cooked, keep removing them with tongs to the same bowl as the sauce.
- Once the first half is done, repeat for the second half, using the fat that remains in the pan.
- When the last piece of beef is removed to the bowl, add the remaining two tablespoons of liquor (off the burner so it doesn’t flare up). Then immediately add the bowl with the sauce and beef back into the pan.
- Adjust the burner just to heat the mixture back up to serving temperature and taste and re-season if needed.
- While the stroganoff is coming back up to temperature, reheat the noodles and drain.
- Then serve the stroganoff over the noodles either on a platter or individual portions.
- Top with the optional chopped parsley as garnish.
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Great taste, will make again. Did not change anything…used rib eye steak.
Thanks Debbie! So glad the recipe was a hit!
Great recipe, but as I am very sensitive to salt, I did not add salt, other than a bit to the flour that I shook the steak in, nad it was plenty salty. I also did not have cognac or brandy so I substituted sherry. Very involved prep and cooking but more than worth the effort. I’ve tried a number of stroganoff recipies, but this will be the one I use from now on. Fantastic.
Thanks Mark! So glad you were able to adjust the recipes to your tastes and on-hand ingredients.
I made this recipe for my husband tonight. It was delicious! I’ve made beef stroganoff for many years, but this recipe is far more elegant than the run-of-the-mill recipe. It’s worth taking the time to carmelize the mushrooms. Their texture and flavor was perfect. My husband had two huge servings, and would have had a third, but he was stuffed! This will be my stroganoff recipe from now on.
Wow Judy – Thank you so much! We’re thrilled that you and your husband loved the recipe. Thank you for taking the time to write to us today.
This looks wonderful; could it be made ahead? I have 5 good-sized college boys coming for dinner along with 5 adults on a Friday and since Im working can any of it be made ahead? Thank you and Happy New Year.
Hi Jane – Definitely – you can cook the pasta ahead of timem and cook the mushrooms and sauce ahead too. I’d suggest cooking the beef just before serving. Hope that helps!
Martha, everyone loved the flavors in this recipe. The mushrooms were fantastic!! I need to work on my technique as I did have some liquid left- I soaked it up a bit. I could have eaten a bowl of these mushrooms alone! Thanks for sharing this recipe.
You’re very welcome Jane! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Could I freeze the sauce, do you think? I’d love to whip up a double batch of that and have it in the freezer to pull out and make fresh noodles and the beef, of course.
Hi Sue – My apologies for the delay in responding. I’m not sure how this sauce will reheat after being frozen – with both sour cream and the cognac/brandy – I’d be worried that once it thaws, it would separate. I think refrigerating ahead of time is fine, but I’m not sure about freezing. If you try it, please let us know how it comes out!
I love this recipe, by the way. We have had it several times since I discovered it. Those two reasons are exactly why I hesitate to freeze it. I think I will not take the chance of ruining this AMAZING dish. My chef friend would tell me that good food has no shortcuts. You just have to love it … and DO it.
We agree 100% with your chef friend! Thanks Sue! 🙂
I would suggest adding thyme and several cloves of garlic. And paprika at the end. Otherwise there is not much flavor. And I followed the recipe exactly.
Thank you for taking the time to share your suggestions Louise! Of course, any recipe can (and should be) adjusted to suit your tastes.
This was exceptionally good! Thank-you so much for the recipe. I followed it to the letter, and it was worth so it, hubby loved it. Added bonus is that I know have Brandy in the liquor cabinet 😉
You’re very welcome Michelle – so glad you enjoyed the recipe! 🙂
I made this tonight for dinner and it was delicious. I didn’t have grainy Dijon, so substituted with “regular” Dijon. The extra effort to cook the mushrooms in small batches made a big difference. Thanks for a great recipe, one that I will make a lot in the future.
Thanks Farrel – so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I made this tonight! In retrospect, August heat may have not been a good idea. I have tried many stroganoff recipes and this is the one…for December. Lol This was amazing!
LOL – Thanks Julie! We’re glad you enjoyed the recipe (even if it was too hot in the kitchen!).
Found this on Pinterest and just made it for dinner, it was excellent! Thank you for the recipe
Thanks Vikki! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Oh my goodness this dish is making me hungry! The meat looks so tender and delicious!
Thanks Shelly! (It really is tender and delicious!) 🙂