The Great Canadian Strogan-Off

Just like that, there’s a chill in the air. The days seem a bit shorter, the wind a bit colder. Fall is fast approaching, and I know you don’t want to hear it, but I’m so ready for it.

Fall is my favorite time of year. Summers in Ottawa can get way too humid and gross, and winters are just unbearable. Spring is hit or miss, but fall in this town? *chef’s kiss* Amazing.

Autumn also brings with it my favorite seasonal palate of ingredients. I’m a fall cook. I love the flavours and the colours. I love starting to cook heartier, richer food again. As you may be able to tell from some of my earlier recipes, I’m a heavy-handed cook. I like making food that comes with a nap advisory. I don’t try to do anything too over-the-top, mind you. But I certainly have a great love for the stick-to-the-ribs classics of bygone days.

Which is an easy segue to today’s topic to discussion: Beef Stroganoff. It’s a classic old dish. You probably have memories of it involving a tin of Campbell’s Cream of Mushroom soup. Originally, the dish hails from Russia. But the original Beef Stroganov shares only a passing similarity with the dish of today.

Many recipes will direct you to a more tender cut of meat, like tenderloin. But these tender cuts lack the beefy flavour I want. Instead, I braised short ribs, cooled them in their liquid, and extracted them when it was time to complete the dish. The braising liquid is a wonderful by-product that I’ll use in another dish soon.

While the beef may take centre stage, don’t ignore the mushrooms. They’re just as important to the final product. Some go directly into the sauce to infuse mushroom flavour, while the rest are carefully sautéed to provide texture and deliciousness.

One final note before we start. Whenever you’re cooking a dish that has sour cream being incorporated into a hot or warm sauce, make sure your sour cream is at room temperature. If it’s straight from the fridge, it’ll often curdle or break when it hits the warm sauce.

Well, that’s about it from me. Ready, set, Stroganoff!

Short Rib Stroganoff

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle (750mL) dry red wine, nothing too expensive, I used a Cab Sauv
• 200g yellow onions, peeled and roughly chopped
• 200g carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
• 150g celery, washed and roughly chopped
• 200g leeks, white and light green only, washed and roughly chopped
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 6 sprigs Italian parsley
• 3 bay leaves (fresh, if possible)
• 2g black peppercorns
• 907g boneless beef short ribs
• To taste, Kosher salt
• To taste, freshly ground black pepper
• As needed, all-purpose flour
• 1L beef stock (store bought is fine, just use low-sodium)
• 910g cremini mushrooms
• 70g butter
• 50g yellow onion, finely diced
• 500mL 35% cream
• 120mL sour cream at room temperature
• 900g pappardelle or egg noodles (or less, if you’re not feeding an army)
• As needed, roughly chopped Italian parsley leaves *optional garnish*

Method:

1. In a large, ovenproof pot or Dutch oven, put the wine, roughly chopped onions, carrots, celery, leeks, 3 of the thyme sprigs, 2 of the bay leaves, the parsley sprigs and all but 10 of the peppercorns. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the wine is almost all reduced and syrupy, about 45 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, pat the short ribs dry with paper towel, and season well with salt and pepper. Heat a film of canola oil in a heavy bottomed pan over high heat. Dust the meat in flour, shaking off the excess and sear well, 2-3 minutes per side, until nicely browned. Set the meat aside on a plate.
3. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the short ribs on top of the vegetables and reduced wine in the pot. Pour in the beef stock. It should just barely cover the meat. Once the oven is preheated, put the lid on the pot, place in the oven and reduce the heat to 325°F. Let the meat cook undisturbed for 2 hours.
4. While the meat cooks, deal with the mushrooms. Roughly chop 454g for the sauce (you could grind them in a food processor if you wanted to be really extra) and thinly slice the other 454g. Set both aside.
5. Prepare the sauce. In a medium saucepan, melt about 14g of butter over medium heat. Add the finely diced onions, season with salt and pepper, and sweat for roughly 5 minutes until softened. Add the roughly chopped (or ground) mushrooms, raise the heat to high and cook all the water out of the mushrooms, stirring often, about 10-15 minutes.
6. When the mushrooms are well cooked and no water seeps out of them, add the remaining sprig of thyme, bay leaf, peppercorns and the cream. Bring to boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer to infuse all the flavours, about 30-35 minutes.
7. While your cream is simmering, heat a film of canola oil in a large, heavy bottomed pan. Add the remaining butter and when it foams, add the sliced mushrooms. Let them cook undisturbed for 2-3 minutes, season with salt and pepper, toss, then cook one minute more, turning out onto a paper towel-lined tray. If your pan is not large enough, cook the mushrooms in batches, adding more oil and butter as needed.
8. Remove the pot from the oven (carefully) and set aside to cool. Remove the meat from the braise and leave on a cutting board until cool enough to cut into cubes. Strain the braising liquid into a clean container and save for another use, discarding the spent vegetables.
9. Once the cream is finished infusing, transfer to a blender and CAREFULLY blitz until smooth. Remember, hot liquids can erupt out of a blender, so use caution. Return the sauce to the pot, straining through fine mesh if desired. Leave over the lowest heat possible, stirring occasionally.
10. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to the boil. Cook your noodles al dente and drain. Return them to the pot with one last pat of butter and stir to combine over low heat. Whisk the sour cream into the sauce and when well combined, pour the sauce over the noodles. Stir in the sautéed mushrooms and the beef cubes, which should only require the briefest of re-warmings.
11. Serve up, garnishing with parsley leaves.

If this one doesn’t hit you right in the childhood, I don’t know what will. Is it as easy as pouring a can of Campbell’s over a sliced minute steak and some No Yolks noodles? No way, José. Is it way, way, WAY tastier? You bet your COVID mask it is. This is some A1 comfort food. I dare you to try this one and not feel the warm and fuzzies in your heart and belly. And if you do try it, as always, let me know in the comments below or by shooting me an email. I loves to hear from you. So, until next time, may your Stroganoff always be… poppin’ off?