Stroganoff

You are so busy, I know. We value healthy food, we value shopping local and organic, we value our families, but we have no damn time. Ever. So because of this, I am basically in a love affair with my Instant Pot. You should know this about me by now. It is an obsession. If I can use a slow cooker to help me out while I handle the rest of my life, oh man, am I grateful! This one is a no-brainer, and hearty to boot. Savory, tangy, unctuous, but surprisingly light. Traditional stroganoff can be so heavy with a million pounds of sour cream all over pasta. Not really my jam for an everyday type of meal. Also, it celebrates bone broth, which, from a nutritional perspective, is the closest thing we have to a miracle tonic. If you can, seriously get some in your gullet every day, or whenever you think about it. I’m not kidding. Miracle juice. I study this in school til the cows come home (there has to be a pun somewhere in there), and there is some really great science to support it.

You probably didn’t even have time to read this! It’s okay, the recipe is right below. Keep scrolling…

Ingredients:

  • Some type of slow cook beef roast (With bones if possible!) (You don’t need much, but they always come way too big, so cook it all and reserve the rest for other things)
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Large cellar onion
  • As much garlic as will make you smile
  • Fresh parsley
  • Kefir
  • Cooked Rice (for time saving, I cook a couple cups at a time to use for another grab and go recipe later)
  • One Lemon

Directions:

  • The night before: Put beef (and optional bones) in the slow cooker and cover with water.
  • Season generously with salt and pepper and set for 10-12 hours
  • The next day: Remove and pull the beef, discarding the bits you don’t care for.
  • Strain the liquid into mason jars through fine mesh. (Please don’t ever throw this liquid gold away. Cook everything with it!)
  • Add 2 cups basmati rice with 2 1/2 cups of the reserved liquid and push “Rice” on the pressure cooker or rice maker… or stove top, or whatever
  • Add the onion and garlic, diced, into a skillet with some cooking fat and brown.
  • Add pulled beef and some of the bone broth until only slightly soupy.
  • OPTIONAL (The mushroom umami spice at Trader Joe’s is so good. I throw a bit of this in for that mushroom flavor without adding mushrooms)
  • When most of the liquid has evaporated, turn off the stove and let the pan rest for 5-10 minutes
  • Pour in some plain kefir until slightly soupy again. Squeeze in the juice of one lemon. (It is better to add these ingredients to a warm, bit not hot pan to preserve the nutrient probiotic qualities and delicate vitamin C)
  • Layer rice with beef and sauce and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

So easy and so yum!

Cheers!
-@theprimalfocus