How to Make Fabulous Beef Stroganoff

You will learn how to make a fabulous beef stroganoff--most of it can cook all day while you're at work!

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Slow-cooker
• 2 lbs stew meat or chuck roast cut into bite-size pieces
• 1 package or 1 can of sliced mushrooms (if you are a mushroom lover, add 2!)
• 1 cup water
• Canola oil
• Garlic powder
• Fresh minced garlic
• Pepper
• Seasoned salt or creole seasoning for flavor
• 2 cans cream of mushroom soup (low sodium to reduce salt intake)
• 1 32 oz of sour cream (light to reduce calories)

1. Turn on slow-cooker to high, and add in ½ cup of canola oil and 1 cup of water.
2. Add to slow-cooker cut thawed meat. (If you want to start with frozen meat, you’ll need to allow more cooking time.)
3. Add to meat, 1 Tbsp. of each: minced garlic, garlic powder, seasoned salt/Creole seasoning and pepper.
4. Stir all ingredients in slow-cooker, place on lid, and let cook on high for 3 to 5 hours (depending on meat grade and temperature).
5. While meat is cooking, be sure to check every hour or so, and stir. This step assists in the flavors blending together with the meat, to make a really nice gravy base.
6. Once meat is cooked and tender, place in mushrooms. Cook meat and mushrooms together for another 1 to 2 hours. (Time allows for other family events, and you can finish up the dinner when you are ready!)
7. When you are an hour away from serving, add in 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, blend well with the mixture of meat and mushrooms. No lumps!
8. Once soup is well mixed in, blend in the sour cream. Be sure to fold it in more than stir, as it makes a better gravy.
9. You may serve the stroganoff over noodles or rice, whichever is preferred by your household. I tend to make a little of each, as leftover stroganoff is often better…and it makes a great lunch for husbands and sons!

Tips & Warnings

• You don’t need to start with an expensive cut of meat…the longer you cook it and the right spices make it nice and tender.
• Hint: Never add too much salt to meat…salt will dry the meat and you don’t want jerky stroganoff. You want the meat to melt in your mouth!
• Side dish suggestions: bread and butter, garlic toast, salad/mixed greens
• Check meat often, once the mushrooms are in, you may want to turn the temp to low for the 1 to 2 hours (depending on your schedule).
• When you add the soup and sour cream, be sure the temp on the cooker is on high, as you want the entire dish to be simmering when you serve.