📝 About This Recipe
Tracing its roots back to 19th-century St. Petersburg, this Beef Stroganoff is the ultimate expression of comfort and luxury. Tender strips of prime beef are seared to perfection and smothered in a rich, silken sauce of sautéed cremini mushrooms, caramelized onions, and tangy smetana-style sour cream. It is a sophisticated yet soul-warming dish that balances earthy umami with a bright, velvety finish.
🥗 Ingredients
The Beef
- 1.5 pounds Beef Tenderloin or Sirloin Tips (sliced into 1/2-inch thick strips against the grain)
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt (plus more to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper (freshly cracked)
- 2 tablespoons All-purpose Flour (for dredging)
The Aromatics and Mushrooms
- 4 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (divided)
- 1 tablespoon Olive Oil (high smoke point)
- 12 ounces Cremini Mushrooms (thickly sliced)
- 1 large Yellow Onion (finely diced)
- 3 cloves Garlic (minced)
The Sauce Base
- 1.5 cups Beef Stock (high quality or bone broth)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard (adds depth and tang)
- 2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- 3/4 cup Full-fat Sour Cream (at room temperature to prevent curdling)
Serving and Garnish
- 12 ounces Egg Noodles (wide variety, cooked al dente)
- 2 tablespoons Fresh Dill (finely chopped)
- 1 tablespoon Fresh Parsley (chopped)
👨🍳 Instructions
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1
Pat the beef strips dry with paper towels. Toss them in a bowl with salt, pepper, and the 2 tablespoons of flour until lightly coated. This helps brown the meat and thicken the sauce later.
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2
Heat a large heavy-bottomed skillet or cast iron pan over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and the olive oil.
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3
Sear the beef in batches, ensuring not to crowd the pan. Cook for about 1-2 minutes per side until deeply browned but still rare in the middle. Remove beef to a plate and set aside.
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4
In the same skillet, melt another 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook undisturbed for 3-4 minutes until they release their moisture and turn golden brown.
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5
Add the diced onions to the mushrooms. Sauté for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent and starting to caramelize at the edges.
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6
Stir in the minced garlic and cook for just 60 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to let it burn.
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7
Pour in the beef stock, using a wooden spoon to scrape up all the brown bits (fond) from the bottom of the pan—this is where the flavor lives!
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8
Whisk in the Dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the liquid to a gentle simmer and let it reduce by about one-third, roughly 5-7 minutes.
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9
Reduce the heat to low. This is crucial: take a ladle of the hot broth and whisk it into your room-temperature sour cream in a separate small bowl to 'temper' it.
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10
Stir the tempered sour cream mixture back into the skillet. The sauce should become creamy and pale brown. Do not let it boil from this point on.
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11
Add the seared beef and any accumulated juices back into the pan. Simmer gently for 2 minutes just to warm the beef through to a perfect medium-rare/medium.
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12
Stir in the final tablespoon of butter for a glossy finish and season with additional salt and pepper if needed.
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13
Serve immediately over a bed of buttery egg noodles, garnishing generously with fresh dill and parsley.
💡 Chef's Tips
Always use room temperature sour cream and temper it with hot liquid to prevent the sauce from breaking or curdling. Choose a high-quality cut of beef like tenderloin or ribeye; since it cooks quickly, toughness is the enemy. Don't wash your mushrooms with water; wipe them with a damp cloth so they sear rather than steam. If the sauce is too thick, splash in a little extra beef stock; if too thin, let it simmer a minute longer before adding the sour cream. For an extra layer of flavor, add a splash of dry white wine or cognac to deglaze the pan before adding the beef stock.
🍽️ Serving Suggestions
Serve over wide, buttered egg noodles tossed with a little extra parsley. Pair with a side of roasted root vegetables or a crisp green salad with a lemon vinaigrette to cut through the richness. A glass of medium-bodied red wine like Pinot Noir or a classic Russian vodka on ice complements the dish perfectly. Traditionalists may also serve this over crispy shoestring fries or buttery mashed potatoes. Dark rye bread on the side is excellent for mopping up every last drop of the creamy sauce.