Name: Slow Cooked Red Beef Curry
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 480 min
Ingredients: 2.5-4 Pound Chuck Roast; 1 tsp Salt; 1 tsp Pepper; 2 Tbsp's Coconut oil; 1 Yellow or white onion, chopped; 3 Carrots, finely chopped; 1-3 Potatoes; 2-4 Tbsp's Red curry paste - (Mekhala); 2 Boxes or cans Coconut milk or Coconut Cream; 2 Tbsp's Fish sauce - (Red Boat ); 2 Tbsp's Lime juice, freshly squeezed; 2 Tbsp's Palm sugar or brown sugar

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After spending a year in Thailand, I’m on the constant search for curry recipes that transport me right back. And this recipe not only takes me back to Thailand, it takes me back to my Thai mom Nui’s restaurant in Phuket Town. I spent a few days with Nui learning how to cook Thai food and man do I miss her and her cooking!

She has this great restaurant that serves a variety of slow roasted curries over rice noodles. When you sit down to eat, you get to choose from at least 10 different condiment options, making sure your bowl of curry tastes just right. I would always load mine up with herbs, sprouts, crushed cashews, and cucumbers, making sure to side step the anchovies, barely boiled eggs (gag), and mini shrimps. And right next to my perfectly seasoned bowl of curry always sits Nui’s Thai iced tea. It’s the BEST and every time, I drink it like it’s the last time. Her food, laughter, and good spirit is unforgettable.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Me at Nui’s restaurant with all the curry condiments!

If Nui were in the states, I’d happily make this curry recipe for her! I think she’d love it, but guaranteed she’d tell me to add shrimp paste, to which I’d politely ignore….because umm yeah…I can’t seem to get over the smell of shrimp paste!!

But I will add fish sauce for that salty, umami flavor! Even though it smells and tastes fishy, like the shrimp paste, it really does add a level of flavor that can’t be matched. The fishy smell and taste cooks off in the process, leaving you with a well balanced dish. Sweet, sour, salty, and spicy – Thai food is all about flavor balance. Sugar to balance the spicy chillies and bold herbs, citrus and vinegar to enhance, fish sauce and shrimp paste for that umami flavor, and extra chillies because no Thai dish is complete without a bit of heat.

Slow Cooked Red Beef Curry

This slow cooked beef curry is a favorite. Super easy to throw together with a big return on flavor. Use a crock pot or cook this on the stovetop in a dutch oven. Both yield great results, just depends on your preference and how much time you have. Stovetop cooking will speed up the process, about two hours.

Adjust this recipe as needed to suit your taste preferences. Taste test! Once your sauce is ready, taste it! Then, adjust your spices. If you're new to Thai curry or don't enjoy spicy foods, start with less curry paste. You can always add more. And if it's too spicy, add more coconut milk or sugar to balance. You have some range to play with, but it's always good to taste test as you go so you can get the balance just right.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Thai

Prep Time 20 minutes

Total Time 8 hours

Servings 6

Ingredients

2.5-4 Pound Chuck Roast
1 tsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
2 Tbsp's Coconut oil
1 Yellow or white onion, chopped
3 Carrots, finely chopped
1-3 Potatoes
2-4 Tbsp's Red curry paste - Mekhala
2 Boxes or cans Coconut milk or Coconut Cream
2 Tbsp's Fish sauce - Red Boat
2 Tbsp's Lime juice, freshly squeezed
2 Tbsp's Palm sugar or brown sugar

Instructions

Season the beef with salt and pepper and prep the vegetables.
In a large skillet, heat 3 tbsps of coconut oil over medium-high heat.
Brown the beef on both sides. Around 3-5 minutes each side.
Once beef is browned, place it in the crock-pot.
Add onion, carrots, and potatoes to the pan. Saute over medium-high heat for a minute or two. Or to time save - add these vegetables to the crock pot and focus on making the sauce. Then, pour the curry sauce over everything and cook on low for 8 hours.
Next, add the curry.
Stir until it’s fragrant and coats the vegetables, about 1 minute.
Add the 2 cans of coconut milk, stirring to deglaze the pan.
Stir in 2 Tbsps of fish sauce.
Stir in 2 Tbsps of palm sugar or brown sugar.
Squeeze in 2 Tbsps of lime juice.
Bring the mixture to a soft boil and then turn off the heat.
Pour curry mixture over the beef in the crock-pot. Turn heat to low. Slow cook for 6-8 hours. The meat is done when it’s falling off the bone and easily shreds.
This meal is great served with jasmine rice and some veggies on the side. If you’re strict Paleo, I recommend you sub the jasmine rice for cauliflower rice or sweet potato fries. Because, yes, curry and sweet potato fries go perfectly together if you didn’t know. Pictured, you will see how I ate the curry for lunch. I roasted baby broccoli and radishes and stir-fried leftover rice with ghee, garlic, and green onions.