Simon’s Beef Stroganoff

When I was little, I never enjoyed the Beef Stroganoff that was served up at the table. It wasn’t due to the flavour, which was quite nice. It was because the meat was too tough and it took me so long to chew through it that I would often run out of patience. It was dry, chewy and I needed copious amounts of water to wash it down. I would sometimes spit it into my serviette and sneak it into the garbage bin because it was just too hard to digest. I avoided eating and cooking this dish for a long time, as the encounters I had with it were less than appetizing! That was until I tried this version cooked by a friend. The meat was tender and the flavour so delicious, that I was sold on Beef Stroganoff again. I tried it in the slow cooker and the meat was cooked perfectly. This recipe will probably serve around four people, so double the quantities for a large crowd.  

Ingredients

500g steak chopped into thin strips

1 onion, sliced

1 clove garlic, crushed

60g butter

250g mushrooms

1 cup beef stock

1 tablespoon dry sherry

1 tablespoon tomato sauce

½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

½ cup sour cream

Place all of the ingredients, except for the sour cream, into the slow cooker. Place the setting on low and cook for 4-6 hours. I found that the quantities I have here only needed 4 hours but you may need longer if you double the amount. In the last hour of cooking, stir in the sour cream. I have made the mistake in the past of putting the sour cream in at the beginning of cooking. It doesn’t need the full 4 hours and will probably end up over cooking and curdling. I prefer to serve this dish with rice but it also works well with noodles.