Outrageously tender and delicious, this curry is also freezer-friendly.
This beef curry with Thai overtones is incredible as it’s made with very few ingredients and yet it packs an absolute punch flavourwise! Don’t let the long cooking time scare you, as the prep is very minimal and then it just blips away with the stove doing all the heavy lifting.
Economical chuck (braising/casserole) steak is slow-cooked with store-bought yellow curry paste, coconut milk, ginger, garlic, lime, lemongrass and brown sugar until it’s outrageously tender in a deliciously indulgent rich sauce. I love adding the lemongrass for its fresh, citrusy, tangy flavour, but you could omit it if you prefer.
Although this Slow-cooked Coconut Beef Curry is medium heat level – as I add quite a lot of curry paste as well as freshly chopped chilli – I have provided details on how to make it mild or even super mild, so it’s family-friendly.
Aside from its unbelievable flavour, the curry is freezer-friendly, so it’s a great one to make ahead of time or batch-cook and keep on hand in the freezer, ready for when you need. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days, and the flavour will actually continue to develop and become richer and even more flavoursome.
What can I serve with Slow-cooked Coconut Beef Curry?
I like to keep it simple. Aside from jasmine rice to soak up the rich, indulgent sauce, cauliflower rice or naan bread also works. You could also try a fresh cucumber salad, pickled vegetables (like carrot or red onions for a refreshing contrast), steamed veggies (like green beans, bok choy, sugar snap peas or broccoli), or papadums (I love crushing them and serving them on top of the curry in place of the peanuts).
What can I substitute for fish sauce?
The fish sauce adds a deep, umami flavour to the recipe and, once cooked, the fishiness disappears. However, you can use tamari or all-purpose soy sauce instead.
Is this curry spicy?
The medium spice level can be modified depending on your tastebuds! Check out the recipe notes for a mild or super mild curry!
Watch how to make Slow-cooked Coconut Beef Curry
What are some other similar curry recipes?
If you enjoyed Beef Coconut Curry, I think you’ll enjoy:
Slow-cooked Massaman Beef Curry
Malaysian Chicken Curry
Quick Chicken Coconut Curry
Chicken Green Curry
Eggplant and Tofu Red Curry
Slow-cooked Coconut Beef Curry
This Slow-cooked Coconut Beef Curry is rich, hearty and full of flavour, thanks to tender slow-cooked beef, creamy coconut milk and fragrant spices. It’s a versatile dish that can be customised to suit your spice preference and is perfect for make-ahead meals.
- Total Time: 2 hours 40 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp olive oil or neutral-flavoured oil
- 1.2 kg (2 lb 10 oz) beef chuck (casserole/braising) steak, cut into 4 cm (11/2 inch) pieces
- 1 lemongrass stalk, finely chopped (optional)
- 1 brown onion, finely diced
- 1 tbsp freshly minced ginger
- 1 tbsp freshly minced garlic
- ½ cup (115 g) yellow curry paste (see note 1)
- 600 ml (20½ fl oz) canned coconut milk (see note 2)
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (or tamari or all-purpose soy sauce)
- Juice of 1 lime
TO SERVE
- Steamed jasmine rice
- Lime wedges
- Roasted, crushed peanuts or crushed papadums
- ½ bunch Thai basil, leaves picked (optional)
- Freshly sliced bird’s eye chilli (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large, heavy-based frying pan over medium–high heat.
- Cook the beef in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning regularly using tongs, until browned all over. Set aside on a plate.
- To the same pan, add the lemongrass, onion, ginger and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the curry paste (see note 1 for spice levels) and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.
- Stir through the coconut milk, sugar and fish sauce. Return the beef to the pan and bring to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 2 hours. Check the sauce at the halfway point, adding ½ cup (125 ml) of water if the sauce is catching on the bottom of the pan. At the end of the 2 hours, the beef should be soft enough to break apart with a fork, if not, continue cooking in 30-minute intervals.
- Once the beef is tender, remove the lid, increase the heat to medium–high and simmer, uncovered, for a further 15 minutes or until the sauce is thickened to your liking (see note 3).
- Remove from the heat and stir through the lime juice.
- Serve with jasmine rice, extra lime wedges, crushed peanuts, and the Thai basil leaves and chilli (if using).
Notes
Note 1 – The spice level will depend on the curry paste used. I use Maesri or Ayam brand, which are medium spice level. Modify the amount of paste used to create a more mild curry.
Spice levels – how much curry paste to use:
Medium – ½ cup (115 g) yellow curry paste
Mild – ⅓ cup (75 g) yellow curry paste, also omit bird’s eye chilli
Super mild – ¼ cup (60 g) yellow curry paste, also omit bird’s eye chilli
Note 2 – You can freeze leftover coconut milk. Place it in an airtight container, leaving a 1 cm (1/2 inch) gap on top, as it will expand as it freezes. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight prior to using.
Note 3 – You may not need to reduce the sauce at all – it should be a gravy-like consistency. The oils will naturally split from the coconut milk and that is exactly what we want! This creates a deeper flavour, better texture and a more rustic feel to the curry.
Make Ahead
You can prepare this curry in advance and store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The flavours develop even further as it sits. Reheat gently before serving. The curry will thicken as it sits, so you may need to add a splash of water or stock when reheating.
Leftovers
Leftover curry can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw completely in the fridge overnight before reheating on the stovetop over low heat, or in the microwave, adding a bit of water to loosen the sauce as needed.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours 30 mins
- Category: Beef, Curry
- Method: Slow Cook, Simmer
- Cuisine: Thai, Asian
Emilia says:
How can I tweak this so I can put it in my slow cooker?
Nicole says:
Hi Emilia, this recipe was designed for people who don’t have slow cookers. However, there is another great slow-cooked beef recipe you might like, which is still very coconutty – Slow-cooked Massaman Beef Curry. Nic x
Jessica says:
One of the best beef recipe I’ve made so far!!! It was super tender and very tasty.
Amy says:
DELICIOUS!! Made it for the first time recently and it is already a fave on the dinner rotation. Easy and super tasty. Thank you so much for sharing!
Caroline says:
Absolutely delicious! Have made it twice now. Used 1/4-1/3 cup of curry paste for kids, included lemongrass and served with cucumber and Thai basil as suggested. Made with maesri curry paste the first time then ayam the second time. Definitely tastes better using maesri. This is included on our menu rotation now!
Nicole says:
This is so fantastic to hear Caroline! Thanks for the hot tip on the paste! Thank you for your lovely message. Nic x
Caroline says:
Absolutely delicious! Used 1/4 -1/3 cup of maesri curry paste to be on the mild side for my kids, included the Lemongrass and served with chopped cucumber and Thai basil as suggested. Have made this twice in the last 2 weeks – it’s included on our rotation now
TW says:
This was amazing, already looking forward to it being on the menu again! The family devoured it. I cheated and did it in the slow cooker. Due to the kids it needed to be mild, so I used just over half of the curry paste and did 800ml of coconut milk. Husband had leftovers tonight and said it was even better than the night before.
Lisa says:
What adaptations did you do for the slow cooker? Id love to try it in mine
Rasheeda Plumb says:
Easy and delicious. The kids loved it too. I made a double batch so will feed my family of 6 twice, giving me a night off cooking this week. Winning!!
Dona S says:
This recipe came out amazing! I threw in a chopped zucchini in the last 15 mins and came out perfect and a great way to sneak in some veg.
Margaret says:
This was delicious! Such comfort food