I tried beef-stroganoff recipes from Robert Irvine, Ree Drummond, and Rachael Ray, and the best calls for pickles instead of mushrooms
![I tried beef-stroganoff recipes from Robert Irvine, Ree Drummond, and Rachael Ray, and the best calls for pickles instead of mushrooms](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fstaticbiassets.in%2Fthumb%2Fmsid-106785740%2Cwidth-700%2Cheight-525%2Cimgsize-155290%2Fi-tried-beef-stroganoff-recipes-from-robert-irvine-ree-drummond-and-rachael-ray-and-the-best-calls-for-pickles-instead-of-mushrooms.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
- 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.
![The ingredients for Irvine](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831467,width-700,height-525,imgsize-813938/the-ingredients-for-irvineaposs-recipe-were-classic-.jpg)
Irvine's recipe was fairly simple.
His ingredient list included beef-stroganoff basics like sliced beef, wine, and mushrooms.
The chef said to season the beef and set it aside.
![The chef said to season the beef and set it aside.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831463,width-700,height-525,imgsize-405952/the-chef-said-to-season-the-beef-and-set-it-aside-.jpg)
Irvine called for bottom-round beef to be sliced, seasoned, and set aside.
The recipe said to use paprika, but I accidentally used smoked paprika. It slightly threw off the meat's flavor, so I recommend sticking with the original.
The meat had to braise for a while.
![The meat had to braise for a while.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831460,width-700,height-525,imgsize-890916/the-meat-had-to-braise-for-a-while-.jpg)
The meat, mushrooms, and onions were braised in a combination of wine and broth.
Irvine said the meat should be fork-tender after 25 minutes, but it wasn't quite done, so I waited five more minutes.
Irvine's sauce was made with horseradish and sour cream.
![Irvine](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831457,width-700,height-525,imgsize-888174/irvineaposs-sauce-was-made-with-horseradish-and-sour-cream-.jpg)
I removed the meat and mushrooms before adding sour cream and horseradish to the pan to make the sauce.
The aroma assured me that I was heading toward a classic stroganoff flavor.
I loved the addition of horseradish in Irvine's recipe.
![I loved the addition of horseradish in Irvine](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831450,width-700,height-525,imgsize-699104/i-loved-the-addition-of-horseradish-in-irvineaposs-recipe-.jpg)
The ingredients were tossed together, served over egg noodles, and garnished with parsley.
I really enjoyed the flavor of this dish, especially the slight kick from the horseradish. Had another recipe not blown me away, I would've picked Irvine's as my favorite.
Drummond’s ingredient list included brandy.
![Drummond’s ingredient list included brandy.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831439,width-700,height-525,imgsize-902068/drummondx2019s-ingredient-list-included-brandy-.jpg)
Drummond's beef-stroganoff recipe was interesting because it included brandy in the sauce.
I cubed and cooked the beef before setting it aside.
![I cubed and cooked the beef before setting it aside.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831422,width-700,height-525,imgsize-1539622/i-cubed-and-cooked-the-beef-before-setting-it-aside-.jpg)
Drummond's recipe called for sirloin steak, which is a relatively affordable cut. Unlike the other recipes, she called for cubed beef instead of sliced beef.
I cooked the meat and set it aside before making my way through the rest of the recipe.
I cooked down brandy and beef broth to create the base of the sauce.
![I cooked down brandy and beef broth to create the base of the sauce.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831411,width-700,height-525,imgsize-815124/i-cooked-down-brandy-and-beef-broth-to-create-the-base-of-the-sauce-.jpg)
Drummond's sauce was created by cooking mushrooms, carrots, and onions in brandy and beef broth until the liquid was reduced. She also said to add some cornstarch as a thickener.
Once that was done, I added Dijon mustard, sour cream, and the meat.
Even with the cornstarch, the sauce came out a little thinner than the others.
The carrots added a nice pop of color, but I wasn't a fan of the overall flavor.
![The carrots added a nice pop of color, but I wasn](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831407,width-700,height-525,imgsize-584526/the-carrots-added-a-nice-pop-of-color-but-i-wasnapost-a-fan-of-the-overall-flavor-.jpg)
The finished dish looked relatively similar to Irvine's, but the carrots made Drummond's stand out.
Although I typically like brandy in recipes, it didn't work for me in this one. The flavor seemed a bit too strong compared to the Dijon mustard and sour cream.
I went into Ray’s recipe with some skepticism because it omitted mushrooms.
![I went into Ray’s recipe with some skepticism because it omitted mushrooms.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831403,width-700,height-525,imgsize-801622/i-went-into-rayx2019s-recipe-with-some-skepticism-because-it-omitted-mushrooms-.jpg)
To my surprise, Ray's beef-stroganoff recipe didn't call for mushrooms. Instead, she opted for cornichons, which are small, tart pickles.
Because of the swap, I was skeptical about how the final dish would turn out.
Ray recommended making the sauce first.
![Ray recommended making the sauce first.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831400,width-700,height-525,imgsize-536538/ray-recommended-making-the-sauce-first-.jpg)
The base of her sauce started with beef consommé, a condensed version of beef broth, which I'd never worked with before.
It had a thickness that slightly reminded me of gravy.
The consommé mixture smelled like my favorite kind of stroganoff sauce.
![The consommé mixture smelled like my favorite kind of stroganoff sauce.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831397,width-700,height-525,imgsize-726924/the-consommxe9-mixture-smelled-like-my-favorite-kind-of-stroganoff-sauce-.jpg)
Ray's recipe called for thickening the consommé by mixing it into a roux. From there, I added Dijon mustard and sour cream.
The mixture instantly smelled like the traditional stroganoff sauce I was used to, so I was excited to try it.
I cooked the meat and onions before adding in the pickles.
![I cooked the meat and onions before adding in the pickles.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831389,width-700,height-525,imgsize-995510/i-cooked-the-meat-and-onions-before-adding-in-the-pickles-.jpg)
Ray's recipe called for beef-tenderloin fillet, an extremely nice — and pretty pricey — cut of meat.
After slightly cooking the beef and onions, I added the pickles.
Ray's dish was tender and the pickles were a great addition.
![Ray](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831384,width-700,height-525,imgsize-543664/rayaposs-dish-was-tender-and-the-pickles-were-a-great-addition-.jpg)
I placed the meat, pickles, and onions over egg noodles, poured the sauce on top instead of mixing it in, and garnished the dish with parsley.
Although I wouldn't have thought to use such a fancy cut of meat for beef stroganoff, I'm not sure I'll ever look back — it was tender and incredibly delicious.
I might add mushrooms if I made this again, but I wouldn't skip the pickles. They added an interesting crunch and sourness to the dish that I surprisingly enjoyed.
Ray’s beef stroganoff was my favorite.
![Ray’s beef stroganoff was my favorite.](https://staticbiassets.in/thumb/msid-106831379,width-700,height-525,imgsize-831690/rayx2019s-beef-stroganoff-was-my-favorite-.jpg)
Although I enjoyed the diversity of the dishes, I liked Ray's the best. Given that it didn't include mushrooms (a staple stroganoff ingredient) and included sour pickles, this wasn't what I expected.
Ray's recipe was also so simple that even with prep, I was done in under 30 minutes, which is perfect for a weeknight meal.
If I make beef stroganoff again, I'll follow Ray's recipe and add sautéed mushrooms. But I'd also probably borrow the inclusion of horseradish from Irvine.
Click to check out the other celebrity-chef recipes we've put head-to-head so far.
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