Description
This Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff is a deeply flavorful and comforting dish featuring tender stewing beef, sautéed mushrooms, and a rich sour cream-based sauce. Perfect for a family dinner, this recipe involves browning the beef, sautéing aromatics, and slow cooking to develop tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat served over wide egg noodles or mashed potatoes.
Ingredients
Scale
Beef and Seasoning
- 1.75kg/3.5lb beef chuck or other stewing beef, cut into 4cm/1.5” cubes
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1.5 tsp pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
Aromatics and Thickener
- 20g/1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 large onion, halved and sliced into 1 cm/2/5″ slices
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 7 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
- 4 tbsp Dijon mustard
Liquids and Sauce
- 1 litre/1 quart reduced salt beef stock/broth
- 1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream
- 3 tbsp/45g unsalted butter
Mushrooms and Garnish
- 700g/1.2 lb mushrooms, sliced into 0.5cm thick slices
- 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp pepper
- Pasta, wide egg noodles, or mashed potato for serving
- Chives, for garnish
Instructions
- Season beef: Pat the beef dry with paper towels, then sprinkle all over with salt and pepper to season evenly.
- Brown beef: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy-based pot or skillet over high heat. Add beef in a single layer without crowding, and brown on all sides aggressively, about 4 minutes. Remove browned beef and repeat with remaining pieces, adding more oil if necessary.
- Sauté aromatics: Reduce heat slightly and let the pot cool a bit. Melt half of the butter, then add the minced garlic and sliced onion. Cook for 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
- Add flour and mustard: Sprinkle the flour evenly over the garlic and onion, stirring constantly. Add the Dijon mustard and continue stirring to form a paste; it will appear gluey but will dissolve later.
- Add beef stock: Pour in about half the beef stock while stirring vigorously to dissolve the flour mixture into the liquid, preventing lumps. The sauce will thicken to a gravy-like consistency. Then add the remaining stock, stir well scraping up any browned bits, and bring to a simmer.
- Slow cook the beef: Return the browned beef pieces to the pot, cover, and transfer everything to a slow cooker or reduce heat to low on the stovetop. Cook for about 8.5 hours on low heat until the beef is tender and flavorful.
- Sauté mushrooms and garlic: In a separate pan, melt the remaining butter and cook the sliced mushrooms with finely minced garlic, salt, and pepper over medium heat until softened and lightly browned, about 8-10 minutes.
- Combine and finish sauce: Stir the sautéed mushrooms into the slow-cooked beef mixture. Remove from heat and gently stir in the sour cream until fully incorporated and creamy. Adjust seasoning if needed.
- Serve: Serve the beef stroganoff over wide egg noodles, pasta, or mashed potatoes, garnished with chopped chives for color and freshness.
Notes
- Use full-fat sour cream for the creamiest and richest flavor.
- Browning the beef in batches prevents steaming and ensures better flavor development.
- You can substitute cremini or white button mushrooms if preferred.
- If using stovetop method, keep the pot covered and simmer very gently to avoid burning.
- Leftovers keep well refrigerated for up to 3 days and reheated gently to prevent sour cream from curdling.
