I tried beef-stroganoff recipes from Robert Irvine, Ree Drummond, and Rachael Ray, and the best calls for pickles instead of mushrooms

Lauren HarkawikJan 14, 2024, 12:29 IST

I decided to compare beef-stroganoff recipes from three different celebrity chefs. Lauren Harkawik

I tried beef-stroganoff recipes from Robert Irvine, Rachael Ray, and Ree Drummond.
I wasn't a fan of the use of brandy in Drummond's sauce, but Irvine's had a great, classic taste.

Beef stroganoff is one of my favorite dishes. Most iterations I've had consisted of soft chunks of meat, sautéed mushrooms, and a sauce that's almost as signature to the dish as the beef itself.

But I'd never landed on a go-to recipe for making it on my own.

I decided to try beef-stroganoff recipes from Robert Irvine, Ree Drummond, and Rachael Ray to find out which homemade version I liked best.

Here's how the recipes stacked up.

The ingredients for Irvine's recipe were classic.

Robert Irvine's ingredient list for beef stroganoff was straightforward. Lauren Harkawik

The chef said to season the beef and set it aside.

I seasoned the sliced beef before working on other steps in the recipe.Lauren Harkawik

The meat had to braise for a while.

I braised my beef with mushrooms and onions.Lauren Harkawik

Irvine's sauce was made with horseradish and sour cream.

Robert Irvine's sauce smelled like it would have a classic beef-stroganoff flavor.Lauren Harkawik

I loved the addition of horseradish in Irvine's recipe.

Robert Irvine's beef-stroganoff recipe was almost my favorite of the three. Lauren Harkawik

Drummond’s ingredient list included brandy.

The use of brandy stood out in Ree Drummond's ingredient list.Lauren Harkawik

I cubed and cooked the beef before setting it aside.

I cubed the beef and cooked it in a pan.Lauren Harkawik

I cooked down brandy and beef broth to create the base of the sauce.

I made a sauce for the beef stroganoff with beef broth and brandy.Lauren Harkawik

The carrots added a nice pop of color, but I wasn't a fan of the overall flavor.

I liked the addition of carrots in Ree Drummond's beef-stroganoff recipe.Lauren Harkawik

I went into Ray’s recipe with some skepticism because it omitted mushrooms.

I was surprised that Rachael Ray replaced mushrooms with pickles in her beef-stroganoff recipe.Lauren Harkawik

Ray recommended making the sauce first.

I'd never used beef consommé before making Rachael Ray's beef stroganoff.Lauren Harkawik

The consommé mixture smelled like my favorite kind of stroganoff sauce.

I was excited to try Rachael Ray's beef-stroganoff sauce.Lauren Harkawik

I cooked the meat and onions before adding in the pickles.

I cooked the meat, onions, and pickles in a pan.Lauren Harkawik

Ray's dish was tender and the pickles were a great addition.

I surprisingly loved the addition of pickles in Rachael Ray's beef-stroganoff recipe.Lauren Harkawik

Ray’s beef stroganoff was my favorite.

Out of the three beef-stroganoff dishes, I liked Rachael Ray's the mostSLauren Harkawik

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