Slow Cooker Beef Coconut Curry

This Slow Cooker Beef Coconut Curry is a rich and fragrant dish that delivers fall-apart tender beef in a creamy, luscious coconut sauce. It’s a “set it and forget it” meal that requires minimal effort while producing a deeply flavorful and comforting curry, perfect for a cozy dinner.​

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Why Make This Recipe

This recipe is the epitome of easy, comforting, and flavorful cooking. By using a slow cooker, you can transform a tougher cut of beef into a melt-in-your-mouth delight with very little active cooking time. It’s a perfect one-pot meal for busy weeknights, and the combination of spices, creamy coconut milk, and tender beef creates a dish that tastes even better the next day.​

How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Coconut Curry

The process is simple and begins with browning the beef to build a deep, savory flavor base. Next, you briefly sauté aromatics like onion, garlic, and ginger before adding all the ingredients to the slow cooker. The curry then simmers for hours, allowing the beef to become incredibly tender and absorb all the fragrant spices.​

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs boneless beef chuck, cut into 2-inch chunks​
• 2 tbsp sunflower oil or ghee​
• 1 large onion, peeled and chopped​
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced​
• 2 tsp minced ginger​
• 2 red bell peppers, deseeded and roughly chopped​
• 3 tbsp curry paste or curry powder​
• 1 (14 oz) can finely chopped tomatoes​
• 2 tbsp tomato puree​
• 1 (14 oz) can full-fat coconut milk​
• 1 beef stock cube, crumbled​
• ½ tsp salt​
• ½ tsp black pepper​
• Fresh cilantro and rice, for serving​

Directions:

1. Season the beef chunks with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and brown the beef in batches. Transfer the browned beef to the slow cooker.​
2. In the same skillet, add the chopped onion and bell peppers and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for another minute until fragrant.​
3. Stir in the curry paste and cook for one more minute to release its aroma.​
4. Transfer the onion mixture to the slow cooker. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato puree, crumbled stock cube, and coconut milk. Stir everything together until well combined.​
5. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or on high for 5-6 hours, until the beef is fork-tender.​
6. Before serving, give the curry a good stir.​

How to Serve Slow Cooker Beef Coconut Curry

This rich and creamy curry is best served hot over a bed of fluffy basmati or jasmine rice to soak up the delicious sauce. Garnish with a generous sprinkle of fresh cilantro for a burst of freshness. A side of warm naan bread is also perfect for dipping into the curry.​

How to Store Slow Cooker Beef Coconut Curry

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The flavors will continue to meld and often taste even better the next day. This curry also freezes well for up to 3 months.​

Tips to Make Slow Cooker Beef Coconut Curry

• Don’t skip browning the beef; this step is crucial for developing a deep, rich flavor in the final dish.​
• Use full-fat coconut milk for the creamiest and most flavorful sauce.​
• If your curry isn’t as thick as you’d like, you can create a slurry by mixing 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 6 tablespoons of cold water and stirring it into the curry during the last hour of cooking.​
• If the beef is not tender after the recommended cooking time, let it cook for a little longer. Every slow cooker is different, and the beef will become tender with enough time.​

Variation

You can easily customize this curry by adding other vegetables. Hearty vegetables like sweet potatoes or carrots can be added at the beginning of the cooking time. For a touch of green, stir in a few handfuls of fresh spinach during the last 30 minutes of cooking until it wilts. To increase the heat, add some red pepper flakes or a minced chili pepper with the aromatics.​

FAQs

What is the best cut of beef for this curry?
The best cuts of beef for slow cooking are tougher cuts with plenty of connective tissue, like chuck roast or braising beef. These cuts break down over a long cooking time, resulting in incredibly tender, flavorful meat.​

Do I have to brown the beef first?
While you can technically skip this step if you’re short on time, browning the beef first adds a significant amount of flavor to the dish through the Maillard reaction. Most recipes highly recommend it for the best results.​

Can I use light coconut milk?
You can use light coconut milk, but the curry will be less rich and creamy. For the best texture and flavor, full-fat coconut milk is recommended.

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