Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy

When I went to the grocery store this weekend I looked in vain for top sirloin steak.  After quite a bit of fruitless searching, I had to ask and learned that this grocery store calls it something else.  Every cut of meat has a different name, everywhere I go.  I keep running into this and it's driving me crazy. 

If you can't find top sirloin steak, make sure to ask.  Your reading abilities are probably just fine; it's just called something else.  You know, to make grocery shopping an adventure.

Speaking of something else, this is probably the third "beef-in-sauce-over-noodles" recipes I've done on this blog.  It looked easy, and I highly trust Cooking Light recipes, so I figured I'd give it a try.

Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy

2 cups uncooked egg noodles
Cooking spray
1 lb top sirloin steak, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp finely chopped shallots
1 (8-oz) package presliced baby bella mushrooms
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbsp lower-sodium soy sauce
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium beef broth
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp thyme

1.  Cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2.  While noodles cook, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Coat pan with cooking spray.  Add steak; sauté 5 minutes, browning on all sides.  Remove from pan; cover.

3.  Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat.  Add shallots and mushrooms; sauté 4 minutes.  Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.  Stir in soy sauce.  Sprinkle flour over mushroom mixture; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Gradually add broth, stirring constantly.  Add pepper, salt and thyme.  Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thickened.  Return beef to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated.  Serve over cooked noodles.

The Verdict:  Ding, ding, ding!  We have a winner!

My original beef stroganoff recipe, that I used to make often because my husband likes it, is a meal I tolerate.  It involves a can of creamed soup, and if you follow my blog, you know I'm not a fan of "cream of dinner."  I then found a Hungarian Goulash recipe, that while different, was still in the same family of creamy beef over egg noodles.  It was good but not great.  But this--this is phenomenal.  And fairly easy.

It's, well, not to be a simpleton but it's beefy.  The little chunks of steak stay moist and tender and are flavored by a great mushroom gravy.  The tastes are simple: shallot, garlic, pepper and thyme.  But their subtlety works in this recipe.  There's no need for anything bold.

My son was thrilled with it.  "Oooh, noodles!  And meat!" was his reaction.  (Noodles and meat: the top two foods in the Amir food pyramid.)  The husband liked it as well.

Goodbye, cream of dinner and Hungarian goulash...and hello steak tips with peppered mushroom gravy.  We'll be eating you again.