Cooking around the world with beef stroganoff

Hi, this is future Ticia here. When I started out on this journey of cooking around the world, sometimes I did a lot of research and did my best to make a recipe similar to the local cuisine, and then there are the times I rely on what I think is a local cuisine. Our beef stroganoff recipe is one of those times. After posting this I had a few people tell me this is not very Russian, so I’ll have to make another go someday. I return this geography lesson back to past Ticia now.

Jeff and I have different tastes in meals.  Usually, if I absolutely love a meal, then he’s rather indifferent or dislikes it (spaghetti), and vice versa for me.  So, I’m always happy to find meals we can both like, beef stroganoff is one of those.

Now, I am quite sure that my way of making it has absolutely nothing to do with Russia, but it’s popular here, so that’s what counts for dinner.  Now for learning about other cultures………

Our version of Beef Stroganoff

Ingredients: 3 pounds or so of stew meat, 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, 2 cloves of minced garlic (1 teaspoon of the pre-minced kind, I’ll be honest I just throw in a big spoonful), 1 cup of sour cream, egg noodles

1.  Brown the stew meat, then pour it into your slow cooker.

1b.  Pose as a soldier, and explain to your Mom that you plan on being a soldier or a hero when you grow up.  This is a VERY IMPORTANT STEP.

2.  Add in 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, do not add in broth like we’re doing here.  This will lead to runny sauce, and help you remember to CHECK THE RECIPE, NOT MAKE IT FROM MEMORY.  my bad, it’s a wonder my kids don’t die of food poisoning sometimes.  Okay, not really, I’m not that bad of a cook, but there are times……

3.  Add in the garlic, and whatever other random spices you decide to add in.  This is where I drive Jeff nuts because it really is random.  My go to: basil, oregano, or thyme (not really appropriate for Russia, more Italian, I did not add those spices this time).

4.  TURN ON YOUR SLOW COOKER.  This is a very important step.  If you don’t do this you will come back at the end of the day and discover raw meat.  That doesn’t work so well………..  You think I’m kidding, dinner that night was going to the grocery store and picking up frozen food.  Low for 8 hours, high for 4.

5.  Shortly before serving add in the sour cream and stir.

6.  Serve over hot egg noodles.

It earned 3 thumbs up when I asked their opinion, and the boys went back for seconds.  Nothing left at the end.  Total win.

More cooking around the world fun

• Italian Bolognese recipe
• Andorran Chicken Cunilo
• Spanish Paella
• Pumpkin Spice Scones (United Kingdom)
• Belarusan crepes