Beef Stroganoff

Method

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1. Pat the beef strips completely dry and season with half the salt and the pepper.

   Mark done

2. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wide pan until smoking. Sear the beef in three batches, 60 to 90 seconds each, until browned outside and still rare within. Set aside on a plate.

   Mark done Start 60 sec timer

3. Add the butter and the remaining oil, then the mushrooms. Cook over high heat for 6 to 8 minutes without stirring much, until deeply browned.

   Mark done Start 6 min timer

4. Add the onions and cook 6 minutes until soft, then the garlic for 1 minute.

   Mark done Start 1 min timer

5. Stir in the flour and paprika and cook 2 minutes.

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6. Pour in the brandy and scrape the base clean, then add the stock and mustard. Simmer for 8 minutes until thickened.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

7. Take the pan off the heat and let it stop bubbling for a minute.

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8. Stir in the soured cream a spoonful at a time, then return the beef and any resting juices. Warm through over the lowest heat for 2 minutes without letting it simmer.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

9. Season, scatter with parsley, and serve over buttered egg noodles.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Room-temperature soured cream is far less likely to split than cold from the fridge.
• The beef finishes cooking in the residual heat of the sauce. Sear it rare.
• Full-fat soured cream only; low-fat versions split almost immediately.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• A Pinot Noir or a cold vodka
• Serve over buttered egg noodles with a pickled cucumber
• Finish with something light

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 3 days. Reheat very gently below a simmer. Freezing is not recommended — the sauce separates.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.