Recipe: Beef Stroganoff

Adapted from a March 2010 Cook's Illustrated recipe and prepared for dinner on December 2, 2012.

Serves 6. Sirloin steak tips are also called flap meat.

Ingredients

1¼ pounds sirloin steak tips
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 pound white mushrooms
2 teaspoons hot water
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
Black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onion
Table salt
1 tablespoon tomato paste
4 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon white wine
1½ cups beef broth
½ cup sour cream
Fresh parsley or dill

Instructions 

1. Trim the beef of excess fat and cut it, with the grain, into 4 equal pieces.
2. Clean the mushrooms and cut them into quarters.
3. Peel and finely chop the onion, you want to have about 1 cup of chopped onion.
4. Chop the parsley or dill to make 1 tablespoon chopped herbs.
5. Place the steak in a baking dish and poke each piece of steak with a fork 10 to 12 times. 
6. Rub both sides of the steak with soy sauce and refrigerate for 15-60 minutes.
7. Place the mushrooms in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 4-5 minutes. The mushroom volume should decrease by half and produce about ¼ cup liquid.
8. Drain the mushrooms, discarding the liquid.
9. Stir water, dry mustard, sugar, and ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a small bowl forming a smooth paste.
10. Pat beef dry with paper towels and season with freshly ground black pepper.
11. Heat oil in a 12-inch skillet (preferably not non-stick) over medium-high heat until just smoking then add the steak. Cook until browned on all sides to an internal temperature of 125°, 6-9 minutes.
12. Remove steak from skillet to a large plate.
13. Add mushrooms, onion, and ½ teaspoon salt to skillet and cook until vegetables start to brown, 6-8 minutes. Brown bits will form on the bottom of the pan.
14. Add tomato paste and flour, cooking and stirring until the mushrooms and onions are evenly coated, 1 minute.
15. Deglaze the pan with wine, beef broth, and mustard paste and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken, 5 minutes.
16. Slice steak pieces across the grain, ¼-inch thick.
17. Add the meat and any juices to the sauce and cook until warmed through, 2 minutes.
18. Remove pan from heat, cool until the bubbling stops, then stir in sour cream and 1 tablespoon white wine. Season to taste and garnish with parsley or dill.
19. Serve over egg noodles.

Trim the meat and cut it with the grain into four pieces. Pierce these with a fork, rub all sides of the beef with soy sauce, and refrigerate.

Quarter the mushrooms and microwave in a covered bowl.

Make a paste from dry mustard, black pepper, sugar, and water.

Prepare mise en place for the sauce ingredients including beef broth, chopped onion,  white wine, mustard paste, flour,  and tomato paste.

Brown the meat in a skillet.

In the same skillet, cook the onions and mushrooms.

Add tomato paste and flour and mix to coat the vegetables.

Deglaze the pan with wine, broth, and mustard paste then slice the meat and add it to the sauce.

Reduce the sauce then finish it off heat with sour cream and herbs.