Adventures in Cooking: Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff is such a weird name for a delicious dish. Or, am I the only one who thinks "stroganoff" is a strange word?  Oh, well.  As with my last recipe posting, I'd never made this before.  I don't think I'd ever had Beef Stroganoff before.  My husband wanted this for dinner, so I obliged (such a nice wife I am).  It was really easy and soooo good.  Allow me to share:

Ingredients:

2 pounds beef chuck cubes
2 cups red wine
1 yellow onion
2 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 can beef broth
1 tablespoon mustard
1 package portabella mushrooms
1/3 cup sour cream
Salt and pepper
1 package wide egg noodles (or noodle of choice).

OK.  So, first get out a big zip lock bag, and dump your beef cubes and red wine in there.  I use the pre cut chunks of beef that they sell in the meat department at the grocery store.  I'm lazy and I like things to be simple.  I also used Cabernet Sauvignon for the wine, but I think any red wine will do.  Close the bag and stick in the fridge for a few hours.

Leftover from our wedding, haha.

Now that the beef is nice and marinated, we'll begin the whole process.  Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste.  Get your pan nice and hot over medium heat and add your butter.  Once it's melted and warm, add the beef.  Your goal is just to brown the beef on both sides for about 5 minutes total.  While that's cooking, chop up your onion.  Yeah, you're using the whole thing.  No, it won't be overpowering, I promise! 

Push your beef over to one side of the pan, and add the onion.  You'll want to cook the onion for about 3-5 minutes, until it turns a little translucent.

Tip: position the pan so that the beef isn't over the flame/directly on the heating element.  That way, it won't burn and the onions get to cook better.

Once your onion is cooked down a little, push the onion over to the side with the beef.  Tilt the pan so any hidden juice beneath the meat comes over to the empty side.  Now, slowly incorporate the flour into the juices with a wisk.  It's ok if some little onions get mixed in, just get a nice paste going.  Now, dump in your beef broth.  Continue stirring until somewhat smooth, and then mix everything back together in the center of the pan.

Bring this whole pan of goodness up to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce the heat and mix in your mustard.  Also, wipe off those mushrooms and dump them in the pan too.

Make sure your heat setting is on "low" or "simmer," put a lid on it, and go do something while this simmers for an hour.  You can stir it every once in awhile (or every 10 minutes like me because I have issues). 

When you have about 15-20 minutes left, start making your noodles.  I just buy the generic egg noodles my grocery store carries. Once these guys are done, it's time to finish up the dish.

Stir in your sour cream.  Taste it.  Add additional salt and pepper as needed.  I like a LOT of pepper.

Heat the pan back up to temperature for a few minutes, then mix in your noodles.  TA-DA.  Delish!

Don't forget to thank your sous-chef for making this all possible.

Enjoy!