Beef Stroganoff

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Beef Stroganoff is thought to have been named after Russia’s Stroganov family,  perhaps Alexander Grigorievich Stroganoff of Odessa or a diplomat, Count Pavel Stroganov.

The Stroganovs or Strogonovs, also spelled Stroganoffs, were a family of highly successful Russian merchants, industrialists, landowners, and statesmen. During the reign of Ivan the Terrible, they were the richest businessmen in the Tsardom of Russia.

Beef Stroganoff is a Russian dish which includes sautéed pieces of beef, served in a sauce with smetana or sour cream. Originating in 19th-century Russia, it has become popular around the world, with considerable variation from the original recipe. Elena Molokhovets’ classic Russian cookbook (1861) gives the first known recipe for “Beef à la Stroganov”.

Served differently throughout the world, I am familiar with strips of lean beef, fried with onion and mushroom, then further cooked in cream and topped with french-fried style potato crisps, seen  in photo
with potato tah-dig.

Beef Stroganoff

2 lbs beef chuck (best with tenderloin)
vegetable oil
1 bay leaf
2 cups hot water
2 Tbsp crispy caramelized onions (split in two portions)
2 Tbsp tomato paste
½ tsp salt
pinch (1/16 tsp) pepper
6 oz shiitake muchrooms
6 oz white mushrooms
½ cup heavy whipping cream or sour cream

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- Trim fat and sinew from beef and cut in 1″x3″ strips.

- Have a heat-resistant, mid-sized bowl ready.

- Place a deep, non-stick pot on high heat and add ¼ tsp oil.  Spread oil by swiveling the pot. When oil/pot is hot, add ¼ of cut beef and quickly sear all sides, stirring with wooden spatula. Empty  beef into bowl when done. Repeat this three more times.  Lower heat to medium-low, pour all seared beef back into pot, add one tablespoon of caramelized onion, 2 cups hot water, and bay leaf. Simmer for 1 hour.

- Meanwhile, cut mushrooms and sauté them separately by kind and set aside.

- When meat is semi-cooked (after 1 hour of simmering) add salt, pepper, and tomato paste. Mix and simmer on very low heat, until meat is tender (don’t over-cook, as meat will mash). Stir occasionally so tomato paste will not coagulate. Add hot water as needed, ½ cup at a time so when meat is cooked and tender, only ½ cup of liquid equivalent remains.

- When ready to serve, add cream or sour cream and other 1 Tbsp of caramelized onions. Gently mix and spoon into serving dish.

- Serve with Persian rice, pasta or thin strips of French fries and vegetables.

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Приятного аппетита / Bon Appétit

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The Stroganov Palace on Nevsky Avenue in St Petersburg, Russia

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