Beef Stroganoff

Beef Stroganoff © kvalifood.com

Beef Stroganoff is a Russian classic that has long been at home in the Danish kitchen. Strips of beef are seared quickly over high heat and brought together in a sauce with mushrooms, tomato paste, mustard, and crème fraîche. The key is to take the meat off the pan in time — it’s the sauce that simmers, not the beef. Serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

Ingredients

Yields 4 servings

  • 500–650 g well-hung beef topside, rump, or silverside
  • 2 large onions
  • 40 g butter (or margarine)
  • 250 g mushrooms
  • 1–2 tbsp flour
  • 200–300 ml beef stock
  • 2 tbsp concentrated tomato paste
  • 1/2–1 tsp dry English mustard
  • salt, pepper
  • optional: 3–4 tsp sherry
  • optional: 100–200 ml crème fraîche

Side

  • loose-grain rice (or mashed potatoes)

Directions

Preparation

Trim the meat and cut it into strips of about 2 inches (5 cm). Chop the onions. Clean the mushrooms and cut them into quarters.

Searing the meat

Brown the butter in a frying pan over high heat until golden. Sear the beef in batches over high heat for about 30 seconds per side — cook in batches so the pan stays hot. Remove the meat.

Sauce

Brown the onions in the same pan. Return the meat and sprinkle flour over it while stirring constantly. Add the stock, tomato paste, and mustard stirred into a little stock. Cover and braise until the meat is nearly tender — 20–45 minutes depending on the cut. Season with salt and pepper.

Mushrooms and crème fraîche

Add the mushrooms and crème fraîche if using, and let the dish simmer for 5–8 minutes. Taste and adjust — add a splash of sherry if you like.

Serving

Serve immediately with rice or mashed potatoes.

Notes

  • The beef must be seared over very high heat for a short time and removed from the pan — it only finishes cooking at the end; overcooked meat in the sauce turns dry and tough
  • Add crème fraîche (38% fat) off the heat and stir in gently; do not bring back to a boil after adding, as crème fraîche can split
  • Sherry is subtle in flavour but adds depth; it can be replaced with a spoonful of Worcestershire sauce
  • Use well-hung meat — it makes a noticeable difference to tenderness without a long cooking time
  • Freezing is not recommended — crème fraîche splits when thawed