Beef Stroganoff recipe and a little food history22/8/2017 40 Comments
In the 1970s, it was dinner-party derigueur to serve small plates of beef stroganoff atop tiny shell noodles. Guests could eat the dish while standing; as they mingled and discussed the state of play on topics such as Gough Whitlam's leadership, the $1.3 million spent on Jackson Pollock's squiggly artwork known as Blue Poles, the aftermath of Darwin's Cyclone Tracey, and the inaugural Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras held in Sydney as part of International Gay Solidarity Day. As the hostess faffed about in the kitchen preparing a platter of smoked oysters on Jatz crackers, her husband, the host, might be opening a cask of Ben Ean moselle; or perhaps a bottle of Blue Nun or Cold Duck [yes, by all means, feel free to shudder]. Fast forward a few decades, lifestyles have changed and our palates have come of age. But good things will rarely go out of fashion. Indeed, they become classics. Beef stroganoff, or stroganov, is among them. According toLarousse Gastronomique, stroganov is "a preparation of thinly sliced beef coated with a cream-based sauce and garnished with onions and mushrooms." The dishoriginated in Russia andmay have been created by a French chef who worked for the rich and powerfulStroganov family. The first known recipe is said to have appeared in A Gift to Young Housewives,a Russian cookbook by Elena Molokhovets ,published in 1871. Although her version was prepared with mustard, beef broth and just a little sour cream; later recipes include onions, mushrooms, paprika, nutmeg, cognac and tomato paste. Modern versions suggest low-fat substitutions for the sour cream, such as yoghurt or light evaporated milk mixed with cornflour. Some recipes go so far as to include Worcestershire sauce (!) and beef stock cubes. My preference is for the old-fashioned, slightly retro method given by the late Tess Mallos in her 1976Meat Cookbook. I have adapted it over the years to suit my own taste. BEEF STROGANOFF Trim any gristle or sinew from the meat and cut it into strips. Melt two tablespoons of the butter in a heavy-based frypan andsauté the onion until soft. Lower the heat slightly, add the garlic and mushrooms and cook for five minutes, stirring occasionally. Using a serving spoon, transfer the onions, garlic and mushrooms to a bowl and set aside. Now add the remaining butter to the frypan and quickly brown the beef strips all over. Do this in batches, otherwise the meat will stew and turn grey. Remove the pan from the heat briefly and spoon the onions, garlic and mushrooms back into to the pan. Stir in the paprika. Season to taste with salt, pepper and a little grated nutmeg. Pour in the sour cream and heat through very briefly, taking care not to allow it to boil. Serve immediately over cooked noodles or rice. This quantity will serve four.
Image source at top of page: Unsplash (beef stroganoff does not photograph particularly well). See my Instagram feed if you'd like to see the finished dish, photographed at dinnertime last evening). Your turn now, dear readers. Do you agree that beef stroganoff is a good thing? What are your memories from the 1970s (if you were born before then)? What other dishes are on your list of culinary classics? 40 Comments 21/8/2017 11:24:03 pm I actually really like beef stroganoff - sans mushrooms. :-) Another classic I like is tomato aspic. :-) Reply Lizzy 22/8/2017 01:30:01 am Hi Krista, it's a favourite of mine as well. Tomato aspic, yummy! I used to love fish in aspic as a child, but cannot see it anywhere anymore. : ( Reply Peter 22/8/2017 01:30:21 am Love it. Don't ever stop making it please. Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:17:16 pm Trust me, my love, I won't ever stop making it. xx Reply Simone Mason 22/8/2017 01:30:49 am Saw this on facebook Lizzie. My nan used to make beef strog all the time. So good. Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:17:32 pm Isn't it, xx Reply Lizzy 22/8/2017 05:17:38 am Hi Rose... this dish is more suited to very quick cooking... not quite sure it would suit a pressure cooker. Thanks for stopping by. Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:18:00 pm I confess, Sharon, I did like smoked oysters on jatz! Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:18:16 pm And so easy to make! Reply 22/8/2017 10:06:47 am Beef stroganoff is a family favorite and good anytime! I've seen the mustard version recipe floating around somewhere -- I haven't tried it, but have stuck to a more basic sauce like yours. Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:19:04 pm I've not tried the mustard version either, Judy, not sure I'd like it, and I know my Peter wouldn't either. Reply 22/8/2017 05:52:36 pm Beef Stroganoff is good stuff! I haven't made it for ages, and have had it on my to-do list for the blog for at least 2 years -- just haven't gotten around to it. So I'm loving your post! Good inspiration for me -- thanks. Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:19:21 pm My pleasure! Reply 22/8/2017 06:06:08 pm I felt quite nostalgic reading your intro. Smoked oysters and cream cheese on a jatz has evolved to now sit atop a lavash cracker, but still remains a favourite. And once or twice a year a good old beef stroganoff is still cooked up following a similar recipe to yours - mine has a tbsp of tomato paste in it, which warms up the grey look. Hubby is ecstatic when served a big bowl of it topping fetticune noodles. In the 'olden days' we likely would have served a Black Forest cake for the finale. Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:19:55 pm Ah yes, black forest cake. Yummy! Reply 22/8/2017 06:40:34 pm Stuart and I love beef stroganoff and I've struggled to find a Migraine-friendly version. Besides, I think it's one of those dishes that you have to learn by standing in the kitchen watching while your favourite version is prepared. I'll be giving this a try very soon. Bravo! Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:21:15 pm Hi Adele, I guess with the salycilates in mushrooms, you might not be able to find a headache-free stroganoff recipe, unless you leave out the mushies. Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:21:38 pm Oh no, Amanda... Reply Eha 22/8/2017 08:37:00 pm Oh Liz! You left Rhinegold and Barossa Pearl off the 'wine list' :) !! You and I must have grown up on beef stroganov . . . . oh yes, still prepare it, and in spite of my 'health rules', this is one dish which deserves its sour cream . . . . don't remember it being served on shell noodles or at the beginning of a meal . . . I guess different experiences for all of us . . . Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:22:15 pm Ah yes, Eha, I was going to mention Barossa Pearl... and I have fond memories of Rhinegold as well! Reply Maureen 22/8/2017 08:42:04 pm I was a woman of the 70s but beef stroganoff was always a sit down event for us and over egg noodles. I'll be honest and admit that I served it at a dinner for friends in the past 12 months. faux pas?? Your recipe is very much like mine except the Noble sweet paprika. I'm eager to try that. Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:22:43 pm Hello there Maureen... no, not at all. It's a good thing! xx Reply Susan 22/8/2017 11:53:30 pm Can't remember the food but I remember the Blue Nun and Cold Duck. Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:23:00 pm He, he, he... Reply 23/8/2017 07:24:34 pm Such a classic dish! I remember the first time I tried it and I loved it! Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:23:20 pm 'Tis a goodie! Reply 23/8/2017 07:55:18 pm Beef stroganoff is absolutely a good thing, and holds a special place in my life. It was one of those dishes I made a lot as an apprentice chef at the convention centre. Also a big fan of chicken cacciatore. :) Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:23:46 pm You know, I don't think I've ever made chicken cacciatore! Reply Sophy 23/8/2017 10:02:26 pm The trick is in making sure you have good quality meat and that it is NOT overcooked. A classic recipe that never fails to please! Reply Lizzy 25/8/2017 07:24:11 pm So true, Sophy! Spot on. Reply Penny 24/8/2017 06:45:35 am How many grams in 1/4 cup butter, please? I find it unnecessarily messy to use cup measurements for solid ingredients. Reply Lizzy 24/8/2017 07:23:28 am Penny, about 60g or so. Maybe a little more, perhaps a little less. Reply 9/9/2017 06:44:39 am I haven’t had this for years Liz, but a good reminder what a lovely dish this is when done well! Reply beejay 16/9/2017 06:46:33 pm A college friend who learned to make stroganoff from an old Russian man says he swore it had to have vodka in the cream sauce. Shrug. So, that's the way we've always made it. I, too, fondly remember tomato aspic, although my mom put shoestring beets in hers and put a dollop of mayonnaise on top for me. I'm inclined the whole thing was a conspiracy to get me to eat tomato -- I loved beets and mayo but didn't like tomato sauces. ;) However, that sweet, tangy, salty creamy flavor combination, still appeals to me. Now, if I could only get up the ambition to make it. Your recipe sounds delicious. Haven't made stroganoff in a while but thank you for the culinary nudge. Reply Martin Huang 27/11/2017 02:26:51 am Informative and delicious! My family love it too. Reply Your comment will be posted after it is approved. | Welcome...Üdvözölöm
Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion. All NB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes.
Winner ABC's 2015 Australia Cooks competition, ACT (mains category)
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FAQs
What did beef stroganoff originate from? ›
From its origins in mid-19th-century Tsarist Russia, it has become popular around the world, with considerable variation from the original recipe.
What is a fun fact about beef stroganoff? ›According to one of them, Beef Stroganoff was invented by the French chef Andre Dupont for the elderly Count, whose teeth were no longer strong enough for chewing large pieces of meat. According to another, more popular version, this dish was prepared specially for the guests of Count Stroganoff.
What is the sauce in beef stroganoff made of? ›What is stroganoff sauce made of? Stroganoff sauce is a sour cream gravy made with beef broth that's thickened with flour. It's flavoured with mustard and has mushrooms in it. I love the pale brown creamy colour against the deep golden brown seared beef!
What does beef stroganoff mean in English? ›noun. a dish of thin strips of beef cooked with onions, mushrooms, and seasonings, served in a sour-cream sauce.
Is Stroganoff Russian or Ukrainian? ›According to the cookbook A Taste of Russia, the original beef Stroganoff recipe derived from a basic French mustard for seasoning beef, combined with a dollop of Russian sour cream, which Stroganoff's chef named after his benefactor.
Why do Brazilians love stroganoff? ›Russian immigrants made their way to Brazil around the 1920s after the revolution, with much of the population descending from Volga Germans who were booted out of the Soviet Union. In an unfamiliar country, stroganoff no doubt cemented itself as comfort food.
How to add more flavor to beef stroganoff? ›Quartered mushrooms and a combination of pearl onions and shallots give the finished dish a more interesting texture and flavor. Adding gelatin to the chicken stock gives it more body, letting the sauce come together more tightly to coat the meat and noodles.
What is the difference between beef stroganoff and beef goulash? ›Traditional goulash is a type of soup or stew that uses a cheaper cut of meat suitable for slow cooking as well as peppers. Meanwhile, stroganoff is a creamy dish that uses higher-quality meat and mushrooms.
Does beef stroganoff contain paprika? ›Add the onion and cook gently for 10 minutes, or until softened and starting to caramelise. Stir in the garlic and cook gently for 2 minutes. Crumble in the stock cube and stir in the paprika and tomato purée. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
What is a good side dish for beef stroganoff? ›Serving over egg noodles is how Ukrainians remember it, but it can also pair wonderfully with other types of pasta, rice, or mashed potatoes. Beef Stroganoff's ingredients are more varied than the standard ones, such as beef, onions, and creamy mushroom soup.
What is the best cut of meat for beef stroganoff? ›
Popular choices include boneless ribeye, sirloin, and tenderloin. You can technically make beef stroganoff with any beef, but the reason why chefs choose tender cuts is that stroganoff involves flash-frying thin strips of meat before cooking them briefly in a sauce.
What can I use instead of Worcestershire sauce in stroganoff? ›- DIY Imitation Blend.
- Reduced Balsamic Vinegar.
- Soy Sauce.
- Miso Paste.
- Oyster Sauce.
- Anchovy Paste.
- Red Wine.
- A1 Steak Sauce.
Greek yogurt is a healthy alternative to the traditionally used sour cream in beef stroganoff recipes, so you can be confident that your family is getting a satisfying, healthy meal. Fresh dill and paprika will provide a sweet, slightly smoky garnish to top off the dish.
What is Brazilian stroganoff made of? ›- 2 lbs beef or 2 lbs chicken fillets, cut into 1 inch pieces.
- 2 garlic cloves, minced.
- 1 onion, chopped, divided.
- 1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg.
- 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano.
- 1⁄2 cup dry white wine.
- 2 tablespoons oil.
- 1⁄2 lb cultivated white mushroom, sliced.
If too runny, add more flour-water mixture and if too thick, add more sour cream.
Is Hamburger Helper the same as beef stroganoff? ›The difference between a traditional beef stroganoff and the Hamburger Helper version is the meat. The traditional version has cuts of beef, while the Hamburger Helper version uses ground beef. I decided to stick with that for my recipe! I added in more vegetables and the homemade sauce was really easy to make.
Who was Count Pavel Aleksandrovich Stroganoff? ›Count Pavel Alexandrovich Stroganov (Russian: Граф Павел Александрович Строганов; 18 June 1774 – 22 June 1817) was a Russian military commander and statesman, Lieutenant General, Adjutant General to Alexander I of Russia. He took part in the Privy Committee that outlined Government reform of Alexander I.
Is beef stroganoff the same as Hungarian goulash? ›Is beef stroganoff the same as goulash? No, because stroganoff is a thick pasta dish where one of the main ingredients is some type of pasta noddle, whereas goulash is more of a stew without noodles but lots of potatoes and different spices.