Weeknight Beef Stroganoff

Steps

1. Put a large pot of salted water on to

   boil (how to boil)

   Boil Heat liquid until big bubbles rise and break all over the surface. 1. Use a pot big enough that the water fills it no more than three quarters.2. Cover it to boil faster, over high heat.3. Salt pasta or vegetable water once it boils.4. Add the food, stir, and bring it back to a boil before you start timing. Done when: A rolling boil keeps bubbling hard even when you stir. Safety: Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove, and drain pasta into a colander in the sink, pouring away from you. Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to boil water for pasta and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   for the noodles.
2. Pat the beef dry and

   season (how to season to taste)

   Season to taste Add salt (and pepper or acid) bit by bit, tasting as you go, until the food tastes fully of itself. 1. Season meat and vegetables before cooking, holding the salt high so it falls evenly.2. Taste the dish near the end with a clean spoon.3. If it tastes flat, add a pinch of salt, stir and taste again.4. If it tastes heavy or dull, a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar brightens it.5. Stop when another pinch wouldn't make it better. Done when: The flavors are clear and bright, not flat and not salty. Safety: Don't taste dishes that hold raw meat, poultry or eggs; season them by the recipe's amounts and adjust after cooking.How to season to taste: mistakes to avoid

   with 1/2 tsp of the salt and the pepper.
3. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
4. Sear (how to sear)

   Sear Brown the outside of meat or fish fast in a very hot pan for a deep, flavorful crust. 1. Pat the meat dry with paper towels and salt it.2. Heat a heavy pan over medium-high to high heat until very hot, then add a thin layer of oil.3. Lay the meat in, away from you, and leave it alone.4. Turn it once it releases easily and is deep brown, then brown the other side.5. Sear in batches so the pieces don't touch. Done when: There is a deep brown crust and the meat lets go of the pan on its own. Searing doesn't cook it through; finish to a safe temperature. Safety: Hot oil spatters: dry the food first, lay it in the pan moving away from you, and keep a lid nearby. Never put water on an oil fire; slide the lid over it and turn off the heat. Turn on the fan; a hot pan smokes.How to sear meat and fish: mistakes to avoid

   half the beef in a single layer until

   browned (how to brown)

   Brown Cook food in a hot pan until its surface turns brown, which adds rich, roasted flavor. 1. Pat the food dry; for ground meat, let the pan get hot first.2. Add a little oil and spread the food in one layer.3. Leave it alone for a few minutes so the bottom browns, then turn or break it up.4. Work in batches if it won't fit in one layer.5. Pour off extra fat if the recipe says to. Done when: Most surfaces are brown, not gray, and the bottom of the pan has browned bits (they are flavor, not burn). Safety: Hot oil spatters: dry the food first, lay it in the pan moving away from you, and keep a lid nearby. Never put water on an oil fire; slide the lid over it and turn off the heat. Browned outside doesn't mean cooked inside: ground beef needs 160°F, poultry 165°F.How to brown meat and vegetables: mistakes to avoid

   on both sides and 145°F (63°C). Move it to a plate.
   145°F⏱ Sear beef: 2 min
5. Repeat with the remaining oil and beef.
   ⏱ Sear beef: 2 min
6. Lower the heat to medium. Melt the butter, add the mushrooms and onion and cook, stirring now and then, until browned and soft.
   ⏱ Mushrooms: 7 min
7. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant.
   ⏱ Garlic: 30 sec
8. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir until no dry flour remains.
   ⏱ Cook flour: 1 min
9. Slowly stir in the broth, Worcestershire, mustard and remaining 1/2 tsp salt.

   Simmer (how to simmer)

   Simmer Cook liquid just below a boil, with small bubbles breaking the surface now and then. 1. Bring the liquid up over medium-high heat.2. As soon as bubbles rise steadily, turn the heat down.3. Adjust until only a few small bubbles break the surface every second or two.4. Stir now and then and check that it hasn't crept back to a boil. Done when: You see lazy, small bubbles, not a rolling boil. A "bare" simmer has just a bubble here and there. Safety: Steam burns fast: lift lids and foil away from your face, tipping the far edge up first.How to simmer: mistakes to avoid

   until thickened.
   ⏱ Simmer: 3 min
10. Meanwhile, cook the noodles in the boiling water until tender, then drain.
    ⏱ Noodles: 7 min
11. Turn the heat under the skillet to low.

    Stir a few spoonfuls of the hot sauce into (how to temper eggs)

    Temper eggs Warm eggs gradually with a little hot liquid before adding them to the pot, so they thicken instead of scrambling. The same trick keeps sour cream and yogurt from curdling. 1. Whisk the eggs or yolks in a bowl (with the sugar, if the recipe says).2. While whisking, pour in a small ladle of the hot liquid in a thin stream.3. Add a second ladle the same way.4. Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the pot, whisking.5. Cook over gentle heat, stirring, until it thickens. Done when: The sauce is smooth with no cooked bits of egg and coats the back of a spoon; custards reach 160°F. Safety: Cook egg sauces and custards to 160°F to be safe; check with an instant-read thermometer.How to temper eggs into a hot liquid: mistakes to avoid

    the sour cream to warm it, then stir the sour cream into the skillet.
12. Return the beef and its juices to the pan and stir until just heated through. Don't let it boil or the sour cream can

    curdle (how to keep sauces from curdling)

    Keep sauces from curdling Stop milk, cream, sour cream or eggs from separating into grainy bits in a hot or acidic dish. 1. Take the pot off the boil before dairy goes in; keep it at a gentle heat after.2. Warm sour cream or yogurt first by stirring a little of the hot sauce into it.3. Use full-fat dairy, which holds up better than low-fat.4. Add acidic ingredients like lemon or wine before the dairy, or after it has cooled a bit. Done when: The sauce stays smooth and creamy. In batters, a slightly curdled look after the eggs is normal; the flour brings it back. How to keep dairy sauces from curdling: mistakes to avoid

    .
    ⏱ Warm beef: 1 min
13. Spoon the stroganoff over the noodles and sprinkle with parsley.

Tap an underlined word for how to do it, or see all techniques.

Tips

• Warming the sour cream first (called tempering) keeps the sauce smooth.
• Partly freeze the steak for 20 minutes to make thin slicing easier.
• Use a separate cutting board for raw meat, and wash hands, boards and knives in hot soapy water after handling it.

Storage

Refrigerate in an airtight container within 2 hours, up to 3 days. Reheat gently over low heat; boiling can split the sauce.

How long leftovers keep, and freezing and reheating: leftovers and storage.