Aunt Evas Swedish Stroganoff Recipes

THE BEST BEEF STROGANOFF

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
• Season the beef with 1 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook, untouched, until starting to turn brown in some spots, about 1 minute. Use tongs to flip the pieces and continue cooking until deep golden brown but still undercooked in the center, about 1 minute (the beef will finish cooking in the sauce). Transfer the beef to a bowl and return the skillet to the stovetop on medium-high.
• Add 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally to scrape up the browned bits in the pan, until the onions are softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons butter, the button mushrooms, shiitakes and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally scraping up any browned bits, until the mushrooms have released some liquid and are starting to crisp up, 5 to 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until evaporated, about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until incorporated. Fold in the sour cream, Dijon, Worcestershire sauce and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Pour in the beef broth and stir until smooth. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, while the sauce reduces, cook the egg noodles according to the package directions for al dente. Drain and toss with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the chopped parsley and chives.
• Fold the beef and any accumulated juices from the bowl into the sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is cooked through but still slightly pink on the inside, about 1 minute.
• Divide the noodles between 4 bowls and top with the sauce and beef. Sprinkle with more chives, if desired.

AUNT EVA'S SWEDISH STROGANOFF

Steps:

• Melt dripping in a pan that is large and heavy enough to hold at least 6 quarts of liquid and meat at a simmer for 4 hours.
• When dripping is at a "sizzle", add the cubed beef in small enough batches to thoroughly brown the cubes. Remove as soon as they start to "bleed-out.".
• When all beef is browned, add onion, stirring well until translucent but not too soft.
• Reduce heat to medium low and return the beef to the pot when your pan has cooled a bit. (Keep stirring while the pan cools, or just take the onions out.).
• Sprinkle flour over the cubes and stir well, scraping the bottom of the pot, until the flour is well-distributed.
• With heat still at medium low, return onions, if you removed them earlier.
• Gradually add the liquid, stirring and scraping the pot all the time to incorporate everything together.
• Turn heat up to med-high and bring contents to a slow boil.
• Reduce heat to simmer, cover and simmer, checking for liquid level and stirring occasionally. Add more broth if the liquid is getting too thick. You want enough liquid to make sure your cubes get tender.
• After about 4 hours, the beef should be tender and your liquid getting harder to thin. That's a good thing. It's hard to judge just exactly what the consistency should be without some experience. Keep at it, everyone seems to end up with a stroganoff that is runny or really thick at one time or another.
• Remove the pot from the heat, allow to cool just enough that the sour cream won't break when you put it inches.
• If you aren't sure about this, put in a cereal spoonful and see if it curdles or separates into curds and whey. If it does, it's too hot.
• When the beef mixture has cooled enough, gently fold in the sour cream, stirring slowly and steady until it incorporates completely with the rest of the ingredients.
• Serve immediately with egg noodles or on rice, if you prefer.

SNAPPY STROGANOFF

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions. Drain and toss with 2 tablespoons of the butter and 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Keep warm.
• Meanwhile, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat in an extra-large skillet. Add the beef, season with the paprika and some salt and pepper and cook until browned on all sides but still pink in the middle, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
• Add the mushrooms, onions and thyme to the skillet and season with salt and pepper. Cook until beginning to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the hot stock and wine and cook for a minute until it reduces. Lower the heat and stir in the heavy cream and mustard. Add the beef back in, along with any juices on the plate. Cook for 1 minute so the beef is heated through. Turn off the heat and stir in the sour cream. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
• Serve over the buttered noodles and garnish with the remaining parsley.

CLASSIC BEEF STROGANOFF

Steps:

• Cut beef across grain into about 1 1/2x1/2-inch strips.
• Cook mushrooms, onions and garlic in butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender; remove from skillet.
• Cook beef in same skillet until brown. Stir in 1 cup of the broth, the salt and Worcestershire sauce. Heat to boiling; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 15 minutes.
• Stir remaining 1/2 cup broth into flour; stir into beef mixture. Add onion mixture; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in sour cream; heat until hot (do not boil). Serve over noodles.