Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

Stroganoff was made for the slow cooker. Cubes of beef and sliced mushrooms cook down low and slow with onion, garlic, and broth until the meat goes meltingly tender, no babysitting required.

The one step that makes or breaks it comes at the end. Whisk the sour cream sauce together in a separate bowl, then temper it with a cup of the hot liquid from the pot before stirring it back in. That tempering keeps the sour cream from breaking into grainy curds the moment it hits the heat. A short cook on high thickens everything into a glossy, tangy gravy.

Spoon it over hot egg noodles and you’ve got the kind of dinner that tastes like you fussed when you really didn’t.

Pro Tips

• Temper the sour cream mixture with hot liquid first; adding cold sour cream straight to the pot is how stroganoff turns grainy.
• Fish out and discard the bay leaf before serving.
• Newer slow cookers run hot, so check the beef around the 6-hour mark; it holds fine on the warm setting.

Variations

• Stir in a spoon of Dijon or a splash of Worcestershire for a sharper sauce.
• Use cremini or wild mushrooms for a deeper, earthier flavor.
• Swap the beef for chicken or pork, or serve over rice or mashed potatoes instead of noodles.