Dot's Beef Stroganoff

Busy church schedules mean Sunday night suppers are best if I plan ahead and use the crock-pot. This recipe is a long-time family favorite, but it's not MamaJo's. No, this one comes from John Rankin's Mom, Dorothy Rankin. Dot was my Sunday School teacher for most of my teen years and she was a wonderful cook. I've tweaked the original recipe just a little but it's very true to Dot's vision. This is not your typical thick, gooey mushroom sauce stroganoff, rather its a delightful tomato-rich sauce that's just a bit different. I think it's amazing and best of all, it's easy!

Dot's Beef Stroganoff

1 lg yellow onion, thinly sliced
6-8 oz white button mushrooms, sliced
2-2.5 lbs lean beef steak (round steak or sirloin), 1/2" thick and thinly sliced into strips

2 T canola oil
2 T butter
1-10.75 oz. can Condensed Cream of Tomato soup
1 T Dijon mustard
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 T brown sugar
1 c sour cream
salt and pepper

Heat 1 T. canola oil in a large skillet. Add onion and saute' until translucent and slightly caramelized. Transfer to crock pot. Add butter to skillet and saute' mushrooms until tender and lightly browned. Transfer to crock pot.
Heat remaining canola oil, add beef to skillet, season with salt and pepper, and brown slowly on all sides. Drain and add to crock pot.

Add undiluted tomato soup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar to crock pot and stir to combine. Cook on low for 3-4 hours. Stir in sour cream just before serving. Serve over the pasta of your choice (egg noodles, fettucine, and penne are good choices).

Tips: This recipe is very flexible and forgiving. Since my family is small I usually prepare 1-1.5 lbs of beef and enjoy an extra saucy version that serves 3-4 people. Use more or less onions & mushrooms as desired, or substitute canned mushrooms (as was used in Dot's original recipe). I like Dijon mustard, but you could use yellow or spicy brown mustard if you wish. I partially freeze (or partially thaw) the steak to make slicing easier. The thin strips and slow-cooking create tenderness in an otherwise tough cut of meat. Experiment and enjoy!







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