Red Stroganoff

This is one of Casey’s all-time favorite meals.  And when we first got married he’d nudge me on a Sunday afternoon, “hey maybe you should try making that beef stroganoff my mom always makes?”

Of course in my mind, Beef Stroganoff meant a brown cream of mushroom sauce served on egg noodles, which I hated to eat growing up because I hate mushrooms!…and I often smuggled them into my napkin to throw away when my mom wasn’t looking.

Well I still hate mushrooms.  And if you like them, we can still be friends because I also don’t like avocados which makes me a complete weirdo and gives you reason to write me off of your dinner-group list.  But trust me, I really really want to like avocados.  Truly.  But I just don’t.
But we’re talking stroganoff here…
So one day I actually had beef stroganoff at my mother-in-law’s house and it was not at all what I was expecting.

It was a creamy red tomato-based sauce, with strips of beef that melted in your mouth, and it was served over rice! There were still mushrooms in there but I discreetly picked those out.
It was divine!  And hearty.  And I realized that I really love Beef Stroganoff.
I just hadn’t found the right way to strog.
Ew. Is that a word?

So in honor of Father’s Day I’m sharing my Mother-in-law’s recipe with you.  And I’m throwing in the mushrooms because that’s how Casey likes it.

RED STROGANOFF
serves app 4-6

1-2 pounds beef roundsteak (you can try other types of meat. I’ve only used beef.  Or omit the beef!)
2  green peppers
1-2 cups of fresh sliced mushrooms
2 cans tomato soup
1 pint sour cream (don’t use low-fat. I’ve tried. It’s watery.  Get the good stuff)
2-4 shakes Tobasco Sauce
shake of Worcestershire Sauce

Cut the roundsteak into 1-inch strips and brown them in a pan.  Don’t cook them entirely, just give them a nice brown edge.  I’ve tried skipping this step but it really does make a flavor difference. So it’s worth it.  And though I’ve never tried I’d be curious how this recipe works with other types of meat.  OR…you can make this vegetarian!  Just omit the meat all-together and throw in more veggies!

Slice the green peppers and mushrooms (or you can buy pre-sliced mushrooms, which is my preference)

Now, you can bake this in the oven for a few hours, or you can use a crockpot. I love the crockpot because it’s low-energy and easy. But if you’re using a dutch oven dish you’ll want to brown the meat in the dutch over dish in the first step, so you have all those yummy bits of meat on the bottom.

Okay, in a crockpot mix together the tomato soup and sour cream.

Throw in the browned meat, veggies, and give it a few shakes of Worcestershire sauce and Tobasco Sauce.  I love a bit of zing in my meals….so I love to add a bit extra of the Tobasco.  And we really love this chipotle version which you can buy at the grocery store.

Mix it all together and cook in the crock pot on high for 3 hours (or in the oven in a dutch oven dish, with the lid on, at 300 degrees for 2-3 hours.

Serve over white rice and you’ve got a happy man.
(Btw, the easiest way to cook white rice on the stove is a 1:2 ratio of rice to water.  So….1 cup rice, 2 cups water. Bring to a boil in a pot, then turn the heat down to low, cover with a lid and let it cook for 15-16 minutes.  Done!)

Enjoy!