How To Make Beef And Noodles
See the recipe below for complete instructions on how to make beef and noodles. (Stovetop/oven, pressure cooker, and slow cooker options are all included. ) But here are a few more brief suggestions to help you succeed with this recipe!
- Select the right beef cut: Chuck roast or sirloin are excellent choices for stewing because they cook more slowly and become extremely tender.
- Brown the beef: You can skip this step if you’re in a rush, but the dish tastes so much better with the extra browning and caramelization of the beef.
- Use high-quality beef stock: Because this recipe only needs a few ingredients, the beef stock you select can have a significant impact. I made my batch with Kitchen Basics Organic Beef Broth, and it turned out really well.
- Don’t rush the beef. To ensure that the beef is perfectly tender, it must be slow-cooked for a sufficient amount of time. (Unless, of course, you decide to use the Instant Pot method, which will expedite the process significantly!) The beef needs to be cooked through enough that two forks can easily shred it.
- Season well. After the noodles are cooked, taste the dish and add a generous amount of salt, pepper, extra thyme, and Worcestershire sauce if necessary. The type of beef stock you use will determine how salty this is.
- Adjust the broth as needed. After the noodles are cooked, you can add a few teaspoons of cornstarch slurry—equal parts cornstarch and cold water whisked together until smooth—to thicken the broth if the dish seems too brothy or watery. You are also welcome to add more beef stock if the noodles seem too bland.
You’re welcome to try these additional versions of this homemade beef and noodles recipe:
- Cream: To make the sauce nice and creamy, stir in a small amount of heavy cream to this dish.
- Add more vegetables: Sauté carrots, celery, and mushrooms in addition to the onion.
- Add greens: Just before serving, wilt some chopped kale or fresh baby spinach into the dish.
- Alternate herbs: Toss in some finely chopped fresh tarragon, oregano, sage, or rosemary with the thyme, according to taste.
- Add cheese: Just before serving, stir in some freshly grated Parmesan cheese, or serve it as a garnish.
TIPS FOR MAKING CROCK POT BEEF AND NOODLES
- You can use beef broth instead of water and concentrate beef bouillon.
- Although it’s not necessary in this recipe, I think the heavy cream gives the finished dish a wonderful creaminess.
- Updated to include: I used Reame’s brand frozen egg noodles (12 ounce bag) to test this recipe at first. Many people (though not all, as you can see from the comments below) felt that after cooking, they ended up a little “gummy.” I therefore started over and tried the recipe again with dried homemade egg noodles. These are typically found in your grocery store where the other egg noodles are. Use caution when using egg noodles that don’t have a yolk or those kinds, as they can quickly become overcooked and crumble. Should you choose to use them, I would advise boiling them in a separate pot and simply topping them with the meat mixture as you plate it.
Beef and Noodles Ingredients
To prepare homemade beef and noodles, you will need the following ingredients, which are briefly mentioned below:
- Roast beef: I suggest using sirloin or chuck roast, as they are both extra-tender when slow-cooked and marbled with fat. Cut the beef into 2-inch chunks, then toss it with flour, season it heavily with salt and pepper, and quickly brown it in olive oil until the edges caramelize.
- Egg noodles: My grandmother used to make her own homemade egg noodles for this recipe, but if you’re looking for a quick fix, I suggest buying store-bought wide egg noodles.
- Garlic and onion: These recipe’s fundamental aromatics, fresh onion and garlic, improve the flavor of the beef stock.
- Beef stock: For this recipe, I suggest purchasing a high-quality beef stock, also known as beef bone broth, as it will serve as the foundation for the sauce that cooks the beef and noodles.
- Bay leaf and fresh thyme: Lastly, we’ll use a bay leaf and fresh thyme as the dish’s basic seasonings.
