Description

This Slow Cooker Beef Stroganoff is a rich and comforting dish featuring tender stewing beef slow-cooked to perfection in a creamy, flavorful sauce with sautéed garlic butter mushrooms. Ideal for a cozy family meal, it pairs beautifully with wide egg noodles, pasta, or mashed potatoes and is garnished with fresh chives for a touch of color and freshness.

Ingredients

Beef and Seasoning

1.75 kg (3.5 lb) beef chuck or stewing beef, cut into 4 cm (1.5") cubes
1.5 tsp salt
1.5 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp oil
20 g (1 tbsp) unsalted butter

Aromatics and Sauce

1 large onion, halved then sliced into 1 cm (2/5") slices
4 garlic cloves, minced
7 tbsp plain/all-purpose flour
4 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 litre (1 quart) reduced salt beef stock/broth
1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream

Garlic Butter Mushrooms

3 tbsp (45 g) unsalted butter
700 g (1.2 lb) mushrooms, sliced into 0.5 cm thick slices
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

To Serve

Pasta, wide egg noodles, or mashed potato
Chives, for garnish

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Season beef: Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels, then sprinkle evenly with 1.5 tsp salt and 1.5 tsp pepper to season thoroughly.
Brown beef: Heat 1 tbsp oil in a large heavy-based pot or skillet over high heat. Add the beef in a single layer without overcrowding and brown aggressively on all sides for about 4 minutes. Remove browned beef and repeat with the remaining beef, adding more oil if needed.
Sauté aromatics: Reduce the heat slightly and let the pot cool a bit. Melt half of the butter (about 10 g) in the pot, then add the sliced onion and minced garlic. Cook for 3 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Add flour and mustard: Sprinkle the flour evenly over the onion and garlic mixture and stir well. Add the Dijon mustard and continue stirring; the mixture will look gluey but this will dissolve into the sauce later.
Add beef stock: Pour in half the beef stock gradually while stirring to dissolve the flour mixture, creating a thick, lump-free gravy. Use a whisk if necessary. Add the remaining stock, scrape the bottom of the pot, and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
Slow cook beef: Transfer the liquid into a slow cooker, add the browned beef pieces, and cook on LOW for 8 hours or on HIGH for 5 hours until the beef is tender and falls apart easily. (Alternatively, you can simmer on stovetop for 2 hours or pressure cook for 40 minutes following the instructions in the notes.)
Cook garlic butter mushrooms: Melt half the butter (1.5 tbsp / 22.5 g) in a large skillet over high heat. Add half the mushrooms and cook until almost golden (about 3 minutes). Add half the minced garlic, 1/4 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper, cooking until golden. Remove mushrooms from skillet and repeat the process with remaining butter, mushrooms, and garlic.
Finish the stew: Mix the sour cream with 1.5 cups of cooking liquid from the slow cooker to temper it, then gently stir it back into the beef stew. Carefully fold in the cooked garlic butter mushrooms to avoid breaking apart the tender beef.
Serve: Spoon the beef stroganoff over wide egg noodles, pasta, or mashed potatoes. Garnish with freshly chopped chives for a bright, fresh finish.

Notes

Note 1: Cutting the beef into uniform 4 cm cubes ensures even cooking and tenderness.
Note 2: Tempering the sour cream with cooking liquid prevents curdling and ensures a smooth sauce.
Note 3: For a gluten-free version, omit the flour and use an instant pot or pressure cooker as described, thickening the sauce after cooking if desired.
Note 4: Browning the beef in batches is important to get maximum flavor through caramelization.
Note 5: If using an instant pot or other pressure cooker, skip the flour and follow the method for 40 minutes on high pressure to achieve tender beef quickly.