Winter Night Noodles

Time :2 40

Yield :6 servings

The Scoop

This bowl of slow-simmered beef and buttery noodles is about to make your radiator look completely obsolete!

If your ideal winter plans involve wrapping yourself like a human burrito and avoiding all adult responsibilities, this ultimate comfort dish is here for you.

How about canceling your plans, embracing the carb coma, and letting a pot of rich beef broth fix your entire mood?

Hack it:

Skip the two-hour simmer by searing the meat in your pressure cooker, adding the onions and 6 cups of broth, and cooking on High Pressure for 35 minutes; quick-release, shred the beef, and boil the egg noodles right in the pot on Sauté mode.

Add 8 ounces of sliced cremini mushrooms and a splash of dry red wine to deglaze the pot after browning the beef to create a deeper, rich Stroganoff-style flavor profile.

Toss in diced carrots, parsnips, or baby Yukon Gold potatoes during the last 30 minutes of simmering to transform this simple noodle dish into a hearty, vegetable-packed stew.

Stir in a half cup of sour cream or heavy cream right after cooking the noodles for a silky, ultra-creamy sauce that clings to every single bite.

Leftovers:

Thin out cold leftover beef and noodles with extra heated beef broth, a squeeze of lemon, and fresh parsley for a comforting bowl of noodle soup.

Spoon leftover beef and noodles into an oven-safe dish, top with a sheet of thawed puff pastry, brush with egg wash, and bake at 400°F (200°C) until golden and puffy.

Fry a scoop of cold leftover beef and noodles in a hot, buttered skillet until the bottom noodles turn golden and crispy, then top with a sunny-side-up egg.

Chop up the leftover beef and noodles, mix with a handful of shredded provolone or mozzarella, stuff into halved bell peppers, and bake at 375°F (190°C) until the peppers are tender and the cheese is bubbling.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 (2-pound) beef rump roast, cut into 2-inch-thick cubes
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided, plus more, to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more, to taste
3 cups yellow onions, finely chopped
8 cups low-sodium beef broth, divided
1 (12-ounce) package wide egg noodles

Directions

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil.
In a large bowl, add the beef cubes, the flour, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the black pepper and toss to combine.
Add 1/2 of the seasoned beef cubes to the heated vegetable oil and cook, turning occasionally, until they are browned on two sides, about 4-5 minutes.
Place the browned beef cubes on a paper-towel-lined plate and let them drain.
In the same pot over medium-high heat, add the remaining vegetable oil.
Repeat the cooking process with the remaining beef cubes.
Reserve the drippings in the pot.
Reduce the heat to medium. In the same pot, add the onions and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the reserved drippings and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are just tender, about 5-7 minutes.
Increase the heat to medium-high. Add the browned beef cubes and 6 cups of the beef broth to the onions and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the pot and simmer the beef mixture until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F and is tender enough to shred with a fork, about 2 hours-2 hours 30 minutes.
Optionally, transfer only the cooked beef cubes to a large plate and use two forks to shred them into bite-size pieces.
Add the remaining beef broth to the sauce mixture in the pot and bring to a boil.
Add the egg noodles to the sauce mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are tender, about 7-8 minutes.
Add the shredded beef to the noodle mixture and toss to combine.
Taste the noodle-beef mixture and season with the extra salt, as needed. Stir to combine.
Serve the noodle-beef mixture, garnished with the extra black pepper.