Beef Stroganoff Soup (Crockpot)

I LOVED this soup!  I made it twice in two weeks.  It was so, so good.  Such a rich and hearty flavor. I love regular beef Stroganoff, but I like this just as much.  Maybe even more, just because its seems so much simpler.  It uses both worcestershire and fish sauce for deep flavor.  Don't be scared of the fish sauce; it just adds a great saltiness, plus something more (called umami), like worcestershire sauce does.  (They both contain anchovies.) You can make this in the crockpot or just the stovetop.  I did the crockpot version.

Beef Stroganoff Soup (Crockpot)
adapted from Closet Cooking

1 tablespoon oil
salt and pepper to taste
1+ pound stewing beef (such as chuck), cut into 1 inch cubes
1 large onion, diced or sliced
1 pound mushrooms, quartered or sliced (optional- I didn't use)
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dry thyme
2 teaspoons paprika
2 tablespoons flour
6-8 cups beef broth (use 8c for a thinner, less noodle-y soup)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons dried dill
6-8 oz. egg noodles
1/3 cup sour cream, or more to taste
2 tablespoons flour, optional (see * below recipe instructions)
salt and pepper to taste

1.  Heat the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat, season the beef with salt and pepper to taste, add to the pan and cook until lightly browned on all sides, about 5-8 minutes per side, and then transfer to a large slow cooker.

2.  Add the onions and mushrooms (if using) to the pan and cook until the mushrooms have released their liquids, the liquids have cooked off and the mushroom start to caramelize and turn light golden brown, about 10-15 minutes.

3.  Add the garlic, thyme, and paprika, sprinkle on the flour and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add one cup of the broth and deglaze the pan by scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan into the sauce with a wooden spoon. Transfer everything to slow cooker.  

4.  To the slow cooker, add the rest of the broth, the mustard, worcestershire sauce, fish sauce, and dill and cook on low for 6-10 hours or on high for 3-5 hours.

5.  Turn your slow cooker to High (if not already), and add the egg noodles. Cover.  Simmer until the noodles are cooked, about 10 minutes, before seasoning with salt and pepper to taste, removing from the heat and mixing in the sour cream. (Check to see if noodles are done before mixing in the sour cream.  Some slow cookers may take longer or shorter than 10 min).

*I saw this method for thickening soups without adding too much sour cream; in a bowl, mix sour cream with a ladle-full of the broth from the crockpot.  Whisk 2 Tablespoons flour into sour cream mixture, and whisk this into crockpot.  Cover and cook on High until thickened.  I did this the third time I made this, and it was noticeably thicker! 

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **