Beef Stroganoff

By á-9642

Prep ingredients, cover the pot, and go! Simmering and braising foods for a long time at a low temperature yields extra-intense flavor with little effort. The method is superconvenient; whether you use a slow cooker (such as a Crock-Pot) or the oven, you won't have to tend to the pot.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds beef chuck, trimmed of excess fat and cut into thin slices (about 1/2 inch thick and 3 inches long)
• 1 large onion, chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1 pound white mushrooms, trimmed and halved (or quartered, if large)
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• Cooked thin egg noodles, for serving
• Chopped fresh dill, for garnish (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. In a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, toss beef, onion, and mushrooms with 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt and teaspoon pepper. Cover, and cook on low until meat is tender, about 8 hours (or on high for 6 hours).

2. In a 2-cup glass measuring cup, whisk cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Ladle 1 cup cooking liquid into measuring cup; whisk to combine. Pour into a small saucepan, and bring to a boil; cook until thickened, about 1 minute. With slow cooker turned off, stir in cornstarch mixture, then sour cream and mustard. Serve beef over noodles; sprinkle with dill, if desired.

Cook's Note

If you decide to use an oven instead of the slow cooker, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Follow step 1, using a 5-quart Dutch oven or heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid instead of the slow cooker. Add 2 cups water, and cover. Transfer to oven; cook until beef is tender, about 2 hours. Proceed to step 2.