
Beef Stroganoff Recipe
As a meat lover, there is nothing I like the most then to try different ways to prepare meat. Beef Stroganoff was always one of my favorites. Although is always good to prepare a simple steak, beef stroganoff seems like a good idea for a cloudily and rainy day.
Beef Stroganoff is creamy and is rich in flavor and more important rich in history. This recipe appeared in a cooking book back in 1871. Elena Molokhovets describes in her cooking book: A Gift to Young Housewiveshow to prepare Govjadina po-strogonovski or better translated Beef a la Strogonov.
Although the original recipe of Elena didn’t include onions, mushrooms or cream, like we know today, this recipe has evolved through history. For example in 1909 onions and tomatoes were added to the original recipe, and the recipe was served with crispy potatoes.
The recipe version after 1938, from Larousse Gastronomique, includes the onion, beef stripes, and either mustard or tomato paste. But this recipe won a lot of popularity after the fall of Tsarist Russia.
Today Beef stroganoff is very popular dish around the world, not to mention that the preparation varies depending on where you are, from the different ways to cut the meat, to the seasoning. For example in United States Beef stroganoff is prepared with sour cream and is served with rice or pasta. In the UK they add wine, and in the Larousse Gastronomique, Beef Stroganoff is made with wine and paprika.
In Sweden, (Biff Stroganoff), the meat is substitute with falukorv sausages and in Brazil (Strogonofe de Carne), they use chicken or shrimps instead of beef.
Nevertheless, I decided to prepare my Beef Stroganoff with an extra creamy stroganoff sauce and instead of tomato paste, I add spicy mustard. I love the taste mustard gives to the beef, and if it comes with a creamy sauce is even better
As I always say, fresh ingredients can make your dish go to the other level. Therefore I always recommend going to your local market to get the freshest ingredients you can.
As I mentioned before, my local market is Naschmarkt and is because you have 120 different shops, where you can get all that you need. Especially, if you are looking for fresh meat and vegetables. For me, it is important to pick my piece of meat, so I always take a closer look and talk to the butcher to see what meat they have fresh.
It doesn’t matter where you are located, or whether you know the local meat cuts, for me the most important is to see how marbling the piece is. To keep it simple, more marbling more taste. Is not a secret that fat make the steak taste better, so if you are a vegetarian this recipe is not for you.
My favorite cut: Ribeye of course, or strip loin. Either way be sure your piece of beef has a good marbling and a god red color, to ensure the tenderness and the flavor.
That another secret, you see how you slide your meat will ensure the tenderness. The best way to cut or slide a piece of meat is to follow the grain of the meat and cut against the grain. The grain of the meat is the direction of the muscle fiber, better said how the muscle fibers are aligned. Because is not just the piece that you are using what determinates how tender your piece is, but how you cut it.
After you identify the grain of your piece, try to slide against it instead of parallel. Like this, the slides will be softer after you cook your meat.
For this recipe, I used 500 grams of champignons. Champignons are a great source of protein, vitamin C, magnesium, zinc and vitamin D, not to mention that they taste great. I normally prefer to buy my champignons on Naschmarkt as well, and I always try to select a bio option.
Important is to wash them just before you slide them, with less water possible because they will absorb the water.
Well, I hope you are ready to prepare this amazing and creamy Beef Stroganoff, after reading a bit of history and the different variations that exist, and more importantly, I hope you have that much fun as I did!
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