Thankfully, I have a slow cooker at my disposal, which helps me make the most out of busy days. Because once those ingredients are in the pot, it’s hands-off cooking for hours at a clip.
A Slow Cooker Meal for Busy Weeks
I dream about this Beef Stroganoff while I’m away from home. I simply prep the ingredients and get them into the slow cooker prior to making my mad dash out of the house. When I walk in the front door hours later, I’m greeted with its hearty, welcoming aroma.
The Best Meat for Slow Cooker Stroganoff
One of the things that I love about this particular recipe is its use of bottom round roast —an especially meaty cut of beef. You can also use chuck or chuck roast, but you definitely want something that has the connective tissue typical in these types of cuts. The connective tissue is key to tender bites of meat— it breaks down over the course of the long, steady cooking in the slow cooker and helps the meat become fall-apart tender. TIP! Don’t skip the step of searing the meat prior to cooking. This browns the meat and adds a rich, caramelized flavor to the finished dish.
Storing and Freezing Stroganoff
The sauce portion of this recipe (without noodles) keeps well for up to a week in the fridge, or a month or so in the freezer. Prepared noodles can be stored separately for up to a week and stirred into the stroganoff before reheating.
More Slow Cooker Meals to Try
Slow Cooker Guinness Beef Stew Slow Cooker Chicken Rice Casserole Slow Cooker Moroccan Chicken Slow Cooker Chickpea Curry with Sweet Potatoes and Red Peppers Slow Cooker Cajun-Spiced Stuffed Peppers
1 1/2 pounds bottom round roast or chuck roast, cut into 2-inch chunks 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1 teaspoon garlic powder 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 3 cloves garlic, crushed 1 medium white onion, diced 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced 3 cups beef broth 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 1 bay leaf
To finish:
12 ounces egg noodles 1 1/2 cups sour cream 1 cup beef broth (optional, if needed) 1 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Once your oil is hot and you can see ripples on its surface, add half of the beef to pot. Keep the pot over medium-high heat in order to sear properly—you may want to open a window or turn on your stove vent because this can get smoky! Sear the beef for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the beef releases easily from the pan and the bottoms look brown and crusty. Give the beef a toss with a wooden spoon and sear for an additional 2 to 3 minutes. You don’t need the meat to be cooked; you just need some good searing on the surface. Transfer this batch of beef to a 6-quart slow cooker. Repeat the searing process with the remaining meat. Carefully pour the mixture into the slow cooker to cover the beef chunks. Alternatively, you can cook the dry noodles directly in the slow cooker—stir them in about 15 minutes before you’re ready to serve and let them cook along with the sauce. (Just note that the noodles can quickly overcook and become mushy, so plan on serving the stroganoff as soon as the noodles are ready.) If the stroganoff seems too thick for your liking at this point, add up to another cup of broth. If it seems to thin, let it simmer with the lid off until thickened.
