Timeless Beef Stroganoff

Beef stroganoff is tender beef and mushrooms in a sour cream sauce, served over noodles. The key is browning the meat properly to build flavor, then keeping the sour cream from breaking by adding it off the heat.

Ingredients for Timeless Beef Stroganoff

Beef chuck provides rich flavor and becomes tender during simmering. Onions and mushrooms add savory depth and body to the sauce. Beef broth builds the braising liquid, while tomato paste rounds out the flavor. Sour cream creates the silky sauce but must be tempered off heat to avoid curdling. Butter and oil brown the meat properly, flour thickens the sauce, and salt, black pepper, and paprika season it throughout.

Why This Timeless Beef Stroganoff Works

Browning the beef in a hot pan creates a flavorful crust that gives the whole dish depth. You brown it in batches so the pan stays hot and the meat sears instead of steaming. This browned surface is where most of the flavor comes from.

The beef then simmers gently in broth until it is fork-tender, which takes about 30 minutes for chuck. The onions and mushrooms cook down during this time and release their moisture into the sauce, thickening it naturally. The flour helps too, coating the meat and vegetables and thickening the liquid as it heats.

The sour cream goes in at the very end, off the heat. If you add it while the sauce is boiling, the heat will cause it to separate and turn grainy. Stirring it in gently after you remove the pan from the stove keeps the sauce smooth and rich.

Mistakes To Avoid

Crowding the pan when you brown the beef causes it to steam instead of sear. The meat will turn gray instead of brown, and you lose the depth of flavor that makes stroganoff taste rich. Brown it in two batches and let each piece sit in the hot pan for a minute or two before stirring.

Boiling the sour cream breaks it and makes the sauce grainy and thin. The high heat causes the milk solids to separate from the fat, turning the sauce curdled and unpleasant. Stir it in off the heat, or add it to a bowl first and temper it by slowly whisking in a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce before mixing it back into the pan.

Skipping the tomato paste leaves the sauce tasting flat and one-dimensional. Even a small amount adds umami and rounds out the savory notes from the beef and mushrooms. It also helps thicken the sauce slightly as the dish simmers.

Cutting the beef into pieces that are too small causes them to fall apart during simmering and turn stringy. Cut chunks about 1 to 1 1/2 inches so they stay intact and tender, not mushy or shredded.

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• 1 1/2 pounds beef chuck, cut into 1 to 1 1/2 inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, divided
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 cup sour cream
• Egg noodles for serving

Step-by-step Instructions

1. Heat butter and oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium-high heat until the butter foams and the pan is hot, about 2 minutes.
2. Season the beef chunks with half the salt and half the pepper. Add half the beef to the hot pan and let it sit without moving for 2 to 3 minutes until it browns, then stir and cook until deeply browned on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining beef.
3. Add the sliced onion to the same pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soft and starting to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until they release their liquid and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the flour over the onions and mushrooms and stir well to coat everything, then cook for 1 minute to remove the raw flour taste.
5. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the beef broth, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits, then return the beef to the pot along with the remaining salt, remaining pepper, and paprika. Stir well.
6. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer gently for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the beef is fork-tender. A piece should break apart easily when pressed against the side of the pot.
7. Remove the pot from the heat. Stir in the sour cream gently until the sauce is smooth and combined. Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed.
8. Serve over hot cooked egg noodles.