Beef Stroganoff is one of those classic, cozy meals that evokes a sense of nostalgia. Not because I grew up eating it in childhood or anything. I actually never had stroganoff till I was an adult. The first time I had it, Mr. Slim Fatty and I were in the early days of courtship and he picked up an order of stroganoff from a local Armenian restaurant (shoutout to Old Gyumri) to bring with us to a picnic at the park. We sat at a park picnic table and shared it straight out of a styrofoam container and it tasted so good that I can still remember the taste. Maybe it’s also because of the warm and fuzzy feelings associated with that specific meal, but it was love at first bite and I was smitten.
After this serendipitous encounter, I couldn’t stop raving about stroganoff to anyone who would listen, and also couldn’t believe, with some degree of personal offense taken, that I’d never tried it until now. I think my mom even said she used to make it, but not since she had kids, or some such nonsense. I decided that I needed to make it myself immediately and often. Once I saw how easy it was to make, it became a regular favorite in my rotation and continues to this day.
Beefy, oniony, mushroomy 🍄, and creamy are the bold and classic flavors that give this dish its signature rich and comforting appeal. Simply brown off some thinly sliced skirt steak or flap meat, caramelize onions, and cook down mushrooms and garlic. Then build a gravy with chicken broth and sour cream seasoned with thyme, dijon mustard and Worcestershire sauce. It comes together quickly and each component enhances the overall result without being overpowering. That gravy is the stuff you want to lap up every last drop of, so doing dishes is fairly easy anytime stroganoff is what’s for dinner. Having some crusty bread on hand is also a great idea.
Old Gyumri serves theirs atop a heaping pile of french fries 🍟 to soak up the gravy, so that’s my personal favorite way to enjoy it, although I’ve served it with egg noodles, mashed potatoes, or plain white rice to equal satisfaction. As good old Guy Fieri would say, put this stuff on a shoe and I’ll eat it, So will you. 👟
