Cooking Lesson #71— Instant Pot Budget-Watch Ground Beef Stroganoff

Ground Beef Stroganoff

How you doin’? How is your Stroganoff IQ? Who was Count Pavel Stroganoff? You don’t know much about it, you say? Here’s a brief primer on Stroganoff 101. The Stroganoff (or Stroganov) family didn’t gain fame on beef and noodles fare, but it is now their legacy. History tells us Count Pavel Stroganoff made his fortune in 18th century Russia trading salt and furs, but nowadays the name is mainly associated with the popular Russian beef dish. Stroganoff (the dish) probably goes back to a much earlier time as peasant fare, sans the beef.
 
Although written after the Count’s death, Tolstoy’s War and Peace paints a vivid picture of a Russian society of the time which was fascinated with French culture, language and food. The chefs of day, within the great households, were striving to create dishes in a more elegant and refined style to outdo one another. The reinvention of Beef Stroganoff probably came about because of these dynamic changes in society. The first recorded documentation of the dish was in a cookbook in 1871. By the middle of the 20th century Stroganoff had become popular fare in America, with variants such as Turkey- or Hamburger-Stroganoff making their way to tables across the land.
 
Maybe you’re feeling the pandemic budget squeeze a bit? Not many ingredients are as versatile and budget friendly as ground beef. You couldn’t begin to think about how many recipes from sandwiches to casseroles, and everything in between require ground beef.
 
Joan is a fan of most comfort foods and Beef Stroganoff fits the bill. Usually Beef Stroganoff is made from thin slices of round steak—I didn’t have on hand for this recipe but I know I can always use ground beef as a replacement. This is an easy one-pot version of a classic recipe that comes together in minutes—noodles included. You can almost have it done in the time it takes for the water to boil and the thick egg noodles to cook. This is recipe is perfect for most anytime. Maybe not for breakfast unless you’re making a Stroganoff omelet (interesting idea). 
 
Keep the stress down to a minimum—you have most of the ingredients on hand, it’s easy and everybody loves Stroganoff.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Cook time:  40 minutes
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
 
Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1-1/2-pounds lean ground beef
1 cup finely chopped white onion
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground pepper
1-pound sliced white mushrooms,
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup red wine
2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 cups beef broth
8 ounces (half package) uncooked thick egg noodles
3 tablespoons corn starch
3 tablespoon cold water
1 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, plus optional dollop for serving
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoon fresh cut parsley, garnish
 
Directions

1. Set the Instant Pot SAUTÉ.
2. Add the oil; when it shimmers brown the beef with the onions until the beef is no longer pink.
3. Season with the onion powder, thyme, salt and pepper.
4. Add the mushrooms, garlic and mustard and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes longer until they start to brown.
5. Add the wine and Worcestershire sauce to deglaze the pot.
6. Add the broth and bring to a boil.
7. Stir in the uncooked noodles.
8. CANCEL the SAUTÉ function and lock the lid in place.
9. Set the Instant Pot to HIGH PRESSURE for 15 MINUTES.
10. While waiting, whisk together the cornstarch and water in a small bowl until smooth to make a thickening slurry.
11. After the pressure timer is done let the pressure naturally release for 15 minutes; set a time. Then carefully OPEN THE PRESSURE RELEASE VALVE and then open the lid.
12. Turn on the SAUTÉ function and while beef mixture boils, slowly add the cornstarch slurry stirring constantly until it starts to thicken.
13. Stir in the sour cream throughout.
14. Dish up, garnish with parsley and serve.

ChefSecrets: 

• I like my Stroganoff creamy and saucy. This is the amount of corn starch and water I use to thicken the Stroganoff the way I like it. You might need more or less depending on your tastes. Always use equal amounts of corn starch and water.
• You can easily use strips of beef instead of ground beef using the same recipe for an excellent result.

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                                        ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2020

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