You've just found a fantastic, fast and filling beef stroganoff recipe! In under 30 minutes, you can have this incredibly tasty and rich dinner ready for the table. Serve it over rice, polenta, noodles or even cauliflower rice to keep things low carb! Authentic old world cooking in a modern timeframe...Yummy.
This beef stroganoff recipe is: Gluten Free, Low Carb and Simply Scrumptious.
AN AUTHENTIC BEEF STROGANOFF RECIPE
I've had this recipe in my recipe binder my whole life. I'm not even sure where it came from originally. Over the years I have made some adjustments as my cooking style and skills have evolved. Although it has been updated from the original, the heart of this recipe is still completely unbroken. As you read down into the recipe, you'll see that it is proudly authentic with full fats, luscious creams and hearty beef.
The one big change I've made is the use of arrowroot powder as a thickening agent. The original recipe calls for flour to thicken the sauce, which doesn't fall into my gluten-free world any longer. You could use corn starch if you wanted. Corn starch is more common but I find that it gives food somewhat of a sickly sheen that I really don't find appealing in most dishes.
Arrowroot is pretty incredible. I started using it three years ago when I started down this gluten free path. It has some truly amazing thickening powers and I can't recommend it enough to add body to sauces. Plus, it seems to last forever in the pantry. For sauces, I always make a slurry (mix 1 teaspoon of arrowroot with 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl) to ensure a smooth sauce. Although it isn't authentic to old world cooking, no one will ever know the flour is missing.
STROGANOFF SAUCE: WHAT'S THE DEAL?
One of the best stroganoff sauce recipes I've tried came out of my catering kitchen. Michele is a wizard when it comes to old world cooking. I'm not going to give away her recipe (mostly because she doesn't have one written down... they are all in her head!) but I learned that the secret to great stroganoff sauce comes from deglazing the pan with the beef stock right before adding in the creams and thickeners.
Deglazing the pan releases the fond (browned goodness that is attached to the bottom of the pan) and subsequently builds a ton of flavor in a short timeframe. With this beef stroganoff recipe we are going to cook the onions and mushrooms first... then we add in the beef and allow it to brown. You will see (in the pictures below) the fond that is just starting to form when I am cooking the beef.
Once the fond is released from the bottom of the pan we have built flavor. The next step to a great stroganoff sauce is to build richness... but have enough balance as to not overpower the dish. We add sour cream and cream (both very rich in milk fats) but cut through the richness with a touch of Dijon and balsamic vinegar. The result will be a perfectly balanced stroganoff sauce that tastes just incredible!
HOW TO TENDERIZE BEEF WITH MILK
Tenderizing beef with milk or cream may be a foreign concept, but trust me... it works! The enzymes and lactic acid in the milk help to quickly tenderize the beef. We don't need to marinate it for more than 10 to 12 minutes for the beef to really soften up. The tenderization works so quickly in this recipe simply due to the fact that the beef is sliced thin.
If you want, you can tenderize larger cuts of beef with milk too. I've tenderized a well marbled strip steak in cream for 30 minutes before adding it to the Sous Vide for an hour. Cuts like butter. Literally.
You can tenderize beef with other marinades as well. I've seen people tenderize beef in vinegar, which I don't recommend. Vinegar can actually dry out the beef and make the outside layer a bit mushy. I'm not a huge fan.
If you are feeling adventurous, go ahead and soak your beef right in the cream. As I say in the recipe, just be sure that you don't pour the whole bowl of beef and cream into the pan! Remove the beef with some tongs, shake it off and add to the pan. We'll add the remaining cream later in the recipe.
QUICK COOKING TIP: You won't find the recipe for the rice that I cooked in the stroganoff recipe. In the event that you want to make the exact dish, here's the scoop to make my beefy basmati rice:
- Add 2 cups rice, 3 cups stock, 2 tablespoon butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and a couple good cranks of pepper to a pot with a lid. Mix well.
- Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for 18 minutes.
- Fluff with a fork, taste and adjust the seasonings. For a more luscious rice, add a touch more butter.
Otherwise, you can make some rosemary polenta, herb spiked noodles (fresh tarragon would be delicious!), cauliflower rice or even zoodles. If you really want to be authentic, spaetzle is the way to go.
Ok. Let's get going on this yummy beef stroganoff recipe!
Saucy Beef Stroganoff Recipe
Rich, creamy and delightfully yummy. This beef stroganoff recipe is soul satisfying and easy to recreate right in your kitchen. Authentic old world cooking that will hit the spot every time!
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs Beef (Eye Round or Top Round), Cut into thin 1 x 2.5 inch strips
- ½ cup Cream
- 3 tablespoon Butter, Unsalted
- 2 tablespoon Olive Oil, Divided
- 1 medium Onion, Peeled & Sliced thin
- 2 Shallots, Peeled & Sliced thin
- 1 clove Garlic, Minced
- 12 oz Mushrooms, Diced
- ¾ cup Sour Cream
- ½ cup Beef Stock, Unsalted
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard, Whole Grain or Normal
- ¼ teaspoon Hungarian Paprika
- 1 pinch Nutmeg, Ground
- ¼ teaspoon Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Arrowroot
- 1 tablespoon Water, For slurry
- 1 bunch Parsley, Chopped for topping
- ½ teaspoon Kosher Salt, To taste
Instructions
- Add the thin cut beef strips to a bowl and cover with the cream. Make sure that the cream is coating all the beef. Allow the cream to tenderize the beef while preparing the other ingredients.
- In a large, heavy bottom saute pan, add the butter and 1 tablespoon Olive Oil. When the oil shimmers, add in the onions and a pinch of salt. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring. Add in the shallots and garlic. Cook for another minute until the shallots start to cook. Add in the mushrooms and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring frequently so the garlic does not burn. When golden brown, remove from the pan and set aside.
- Add in the remaining tablespoon Olive Oil. When it shimmers, use tongs to remove the beef from the cream. Don't just pour the bowl into the pan! Shake the beef lightly over the bowl and add to the pan. Add a good pinch of salt and a few solid cranks of black pepper. You will see the beef release liquid quickly. Keep the heat on high and allow the moisture to cook off. You will see the moisture evaporate and the beef start to brown.
- When the beef is lightly browned, add the onion mixture back into the pan. Add in the mustard and beef stock. Deglaze the pan (scrape off the brown bits from the bottom). Mix well and let cook a minute or two.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add in the cream, sour cream, paprika, nutmeg, balsamic vinegar. Mix well. Add in the Arrowroot slurry (mix the arrowroot with the water in a small bowl before adding to the stroganoff sauce). When the sauce is thickened, taste and adjust the seasoning. Now you're ready to eat!
Notes
If you purchase a different cut of beef (tenderloin for example) and don't want to marinate in the cream... that's fine! Just saute the beef with some salt, pepper and olive oil. The cream just allows us to use cheaper cuts of beef with super tender results.
After you have finished cooking the stroganoff, if it lands "flat" on your tongue add just a touch more balsamic. The acid will pick it right up. Or, you may need to adjust the salt in the recipe. Cream and sour cream just eat up salt.
Nutrition Information
Yield
4Amount Per Serving Calories 671
FINAL THOUGHTS ON THE BEEF STROGANOFF RECIPE:
When my kids got home from school the day that I made this recipe to share with you, the excitement on their faces as they smelled the stroganoff sauce was amazing. They both asked if we could eat dinner early. I love it when that happens... particularly when I made this recipe HOURS before they came home. That's the thing with old world recipes: the aroma is intoxicating.
Have you ever found yourself walking outside for a couple minutes to reset your sniffer? I do it just to be able to come back inside and smell the goodness in my kitchen again. I have to confess that I do it a lot, particularly with old world recipes like this stroganoff. Whether you do weird stuff when you cook or not, I hope that you enjoy this beef stroganoff recipe as much as we do. Happy eating.
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I had your beef stroganoff when you were running your catering company. I miss your food. Really good. Mine turned out fanastic! Thanks for posting and have fun in France.
Hey Kim:
We're moving to France for good this time. I have a feeling it's going to be awesome!
Thank you for writing and I hope you're doing well!
Scott
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Ah, this looks absolutely perfect, comfort food at its finest and most classic! I love the anecdote about your kids coming home and asking to eat dinner early - my son is only two, but I would be thrilled to create the same sort of environment for him one day! Thanks for sharing and for the recipe inspiration!
Hi Monica:
I love comfort foods... particularly ones I can make completely gluten free and still have them taste incredible. Recently my kids have been asking for new Thai recipes- they're in love with Thai food now. Who knew? Stay tuned for some fun Thai style recipes coming up too.
Take care and thanks for reading!
Scott
Made this for dinner tonight. It was fantastic!!! A new go-to dish. So flavorful and I really enjoyed it with the beefy rice. A new fav!!
Hi Cami:
So great to see you enjoyed it.
Thank you for your beautiful thoughts.
Have a fantastic day!
Scott