Massaman Beef Slow Cooker

I have always loved food but during the years that I worked long hours in a sales environment, I didn’t really have the desire or inclination to cook. I would find myself ordering takeout more often than I would have liked and this was a meal that made the rotation frequently. I remember being sceptical about making this Massaman Beef Slow Cooker recipe at the time because it requires so few ingredients, but what I was left with was perfectly tender, melt-in-your-mouth beef in a rich, fragrant curry sauce with very little effort. The slow cooker does all the hard work and you get to enjoy the comfort and satisfaction of a home-cooked dinner at the of a long day. While I love making curry pastes from scratch, I also love good-quality store-bought ones which are economical (avoiding half-used speciality ingredients in the fridge) and a great way to quickly pack a whole load of flavour into a dish. The curry paste you choose matters for this recipe particularly, as it relies on so few ingredients to carry the flavour. I have linked my favourite which is the Maesri Massaman Curry Paste, which is not only a few dollars for a tin, but also happens to be one of the best I have tried on the supermarket shelves with great ingredients. I normally add the entire tin to the slow cooker. To amp up the flavour, you can add 1 tablespoon each of fish sauce and lime juice to the recipe at the same time as the curry paste, but I make it just as it is and we all absolutely love it. 

Can you make Massaman Beef Slow Cooker ahead of time?

Yes, you can refrigerate cooked Massaman Curry for up to 3 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave.

Is Massaman Beef Slow Cooker suitble for leftovers?

Yes, cooked Massaman Curry can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave.

Massaman Beef Slow Cooker

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4.6 from 9 reviews

• Total Time: 4 hours 15 mins
• Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Units USM Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 kg beef suitable for slow-cooking (no need to cut, I use gravy beef but chuck steak works well too, see note 1)
• 2 heaped tbsp massaman curry paste
• 270 ml coconut milk
• 1 cup chicken stock (or 1 cup water and 1 chicken stock cube)
• 8 small potatoes (any variety), cut into 2-cm or 3/4″ chunks (no need to peel)
• 2 medium-sized onions, sliced into thick wedges
• Coriander/cilantro, sliced red chilli, crushed peanuts, to serve (optional)

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Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat. Add the beef to the pan and cook for 3-4 minutes per side until browned. This locks in the flavour.
2. In a small bowl, combine the massaman curry paste, coconut milk and chicken stock to form a sauce.
3. In your slow cooker, layer the beef, potatoes and onions in that order.
4. Pour the sauce all over the top. Don’t worry if some of the potatoes and onions are not submerged. They will melt into the sauce during the cooking process.
5. Cook on high for 4 hours or on low for 8 hours. If the beef is still firm at the end of the cooking time, continue cooking on high in 30-minute intervals. The beef should come apart easily using a fork. Use tongs to gently pull it apart into smaller, bite-sized pieces to serve.
6. Serve topped with coriander, sliced red chilli and crushed peanuts if using.

Notes

Note 1 – You can cut the beef first into bite-sized pieces if preferred. Leaving it whole decreases the amount of time required to prepare this dish. The beef pulls apart quite easily when it’s cooked.

MAKE AHEAD

Refrigerate cooked Massaman Curry for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave. 

LEFTOVERS

Refrigerate cooked Massaman Curry for up to 3 days. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely overnight in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave. 

• Author: Nicole
• Prep Time: 5 mins
• Cook Time: 4 hours 10 mins
• Category: beef, curry, Massaman Beef Slow Cooker
• Method: pan, slow cook
• Cuisine: Thai