Josh Franks doesn’t pretend to be a chef, and that’s the whole point of his Instagram account, Around the Fire Cooking. He grew up cooking next to his mom in a lower-income corner of San Bernardino County, and he started posting recipes only a couple of years ago, after enough friends told him he should. 

That’s why we like him. Josh cooks the way most people actually cook. Canned mushrooms, a packet of onion soup mix, a rice cooker humming on the counter. His recipes need no fussy ingredient list, equipment you don’t already own, or a vocabulary that includes “macerate.” His recipes are built around technique and the “why” behind each step, so you come out the other side more confident to create your own.

His beef stroganoff is a perfect example, and it came straight from his late mother’s recipe cards. It’s a one-pan, 20-minute simmer that leans on pantry staples and a single good cut of beef. And that one cut is where you can make a real difference.

Why Wagyu here

Stroganoff is a humble dish—even if you opt for fresh mushrooms—but then again, so was coq au vin back in the 18th century. It’s also a dish where the beef gets a quick sear and a gentle simmer, which is exactly the kind of cooking that rewards marbling. A thinly sliced Miraflora Wagyu sirloin browns fast, stays tender through the simmer, and quietly enriches the sauce as it cooks. And because it’s so flavorful, 1 pound of well-marbled beef goes further than you’d expect.

A few notes before you start:

• Slice cold, slice thin. Give the sirloin 15 minutes in the freezer before cutting. It firms up just enough to get clean, even slices. Cut against the grain.

• Brown lightly. Josh says lightly, and he means it. You’re after color, not a hard crust. Wagyu renders quickly, so keep the pan at medium-high and don’t walk away.

• Don’t drain the mushrooms. Josh is emphatic about this, and he’s right. That liquid is seasoning.

Beef Stroganoff

Recipe by Josh Franks, Around the Fire Cooking

Ingredients

• 1 to 2 pounds Miraflora Wagyu top sirloin

• 16 oz sour cream

• 2 to 3 cans sliced mushrooms

• 2 Tbsp flour

• 1 packet Lipton Onion Soup Mix

• 2/3 cup water

• 2 Tbsp butter

• 2 cups white rice, or pasta if you prefer (we like it over egg noodles)

Instructions

1. Slice the beef into thin slices and set aside.

2. Combine the sour cream and flour in a mixing bowl and whisk until smooth.

3. In a large pan, brown the beef lightly in the butter.

4. Once the beef has browned, lower the heat and add the mushrooms with their juice and the onion soup mix.

5. Add the sour cream and flour mixture and stir.

6. Add the water, stir, and let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

7. While the beef simmers, cook the rice in a rice cooker or on the stovetop.

8. Serve over rice with a couple of slices of French bread on the side.

Watch Josh make it: Around the Fire Cooking on Instagram

Follow along

Josh shares weeknight meals, low-and-slow barbecue, and plenty of backyard grilling at @around_the_fire_cooking and on YouTube. If you make his stroganoff with Miraflora beef, tag us both. We want to see it.