Slow Cooker Massaman Beef Curry

Slow Cooker Massaman Beef Curry is an easy, fulfilling comfort food that has delicious layers of flavors from two worlds - Thai and Indian cuisine.

Beautifully fragrant, creamy, mildly spicy, and can be eaten on its own with just a slice of bread!

If you love beef recipes you should definitely try these readers' favorite recipes: Beef Enchilada Casserole, Old Fashioned Hamburger Casserole, and Ground Beef And Cabbage.

Why it's Yummy

• An easier and cheaper alternative - if you like me, live in a place where you can ever hardly find a Massaman curry paste, then you are going to love this. My easy and budget friendly Massaman Beef Curry alternative. It is close to the original version but ofcourse critics will argue is far from the authentic one. Either way, I promise you if you are a beef curry fan, you will like this!

• Bold Thai flavors - Chunky beef pieces are cooked in red curry paste, spices and coconut milk that result in a true healthy comfort meal with oh-my-god-so-tender beef pieces.

• Has the best from two worlds - Indian spices and Thai red curry paste combined in one wholesome dish is incredible.

• Easy - just add all the ingredients in one slow cooker pot, cook on low or high, take a nap, return and dinner is ready!

• Minimum prep and clean-up required - apart from chopping the veggies, you'll only need to sear the beef before adding to the slow cooker and that's pretty much it. I hate cleaning up and this Massaman Beef Curry prep required only a few dirty cutting boards and one dirty pan.

If you like recipes with Thai flavors I highly recommend trying these next: Thai Chicken Fried Rice, Thai Red Curry Chicken Noodles, Thai Pumpkin Curry, Curry Coconut Noodles.

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Ingredients

• Beef - any chuck roast cut or round cut will work for this Massaman curry. I always buy the meat at the local butcher. I usually explain to them what I need it for, and they will always ensure I have the freshest and the cut needed for the specific recipe. I would avoid buying ready-made stew cuts or similar as they often have too much fat. And with the whole chuck cut, you are able to regulate what and how much goes into the curry. If you got a really big chuck roast, cut whatever you need for the curry and immediately freeze the rest for next time.

• Red curry paste - this is an easdifferent brands will vary in terms of spiciness and you may need only 2 tablespoons in the end. If not sure, add 2-3 spoonfuls only.

• Cinnamon - for those folks who don’t like strong cinnamon scent or flavor, I would either add only ½ teaspoon or even less high quality ground cinnamon or skip it entirely. As you will feel all the spices cooked in this Massaman Beef Curry very well, especially the cinnamon stick. It is very common in Indian dishes and after tasting this curry I understood why!

• Additions - kaffir lime leaves give a nice lime flavor if you have it.

• Beef broth - I wrote 1 cup of beef broth, but you may add another ½ cup if needed for a thinner curry. It is just a matter of preference. Also, full-fat coconut milk is preferred for a more luscious creamy texture.

• Slow cooker - I used a 4.5-quart slow cooker for this which is more than enough for 5-6 portions or even 7-8 if served with plenty of rice on the side. I cook my food in a slow cooker low and slow, usually, at about 7-hour mark, I will open the lid and check the beef for doneness. If it is tender enough, I will immediately add in green beans, and let it cook for another 15-20 minutes, and serve right away.

Instructions

Prepare your meat by trimming the excess fat off and cutting the beef into 1 ½ inch cubes. Season the meat with salt and pepper.

Heat up vegetable oil in a large heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat. Sear the beef chunks until well golden brown (about 4 minutes on both sides is enough).

Don’t overcrowd the pan, you’ll need to do this in batches, carefully cleaning the surface of the pan with a paper towel if necessary and adding more oil before the next batch.

Don’t change the heat temperature and don’t overcook the beef. Transfer to 4.5-quart slow cooker. 

Add chopped potatoes, carrots.

In the same pan (cleaned slightly with a paper towel), saute onion until softened and add red curry paste and garlic. Saute 2 minutes more on medium-low. Transfer to slow cooker.

Add spices, broth, lime juice, coconut milk, cinnamon stick, a handful of cilantro leaves to the slow cooker. If using kaffir leaves, add them now.

Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH 4 hours. After that taste for seasoning and add more salt/pepper if necessary.

Top with green beans and cook on HIGH for another 15 minutes or LOW for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning again.

Garnish Massaman Beef Curry with plenty of fresh herbs such as cilantro, mint, parsley, lime wedges, more crushed red chili flakes, peanuts. Serve as it is with bread, grains, rice. 

Freezing and Storing

Like with all the curries, you can freeze this Slow Cooker Massaman Beef Curry. Let it cool completely, place the curry in airtight containers, refrigerate and consume within 2-3 days. Or freeze for 2-3 months.

After thawing, however, the texture will change slightly which is very common with cream sauce, ‘’milk’’ based recipes.

To restore its first look (as much as we can after thawing), and make it more creamy stir in fresh coconut milk or heavy cream when reheating.

The bottom line, some foods just don't freeze well. Avoid freezing creamy recipes unless you really need to freeze the leftovers. Consume the curry within 2-3 days. (By the way, the best time to freeze the curry or any dish is on the same day it was prepared. This way it will remain fresh for longer and retain its nutritional value)

Read more about the safe freezing, storing, and thawing process USDA website.

Massaman Beef Curry will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days, sealed and in a glass airtight container in the same slow cooker pot, it was made. But I wouldn’t go beyond 2 days as most of the nutritional value will be gone by that time.

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FAQ

I hope you'll enjoy this Slow Cooker Massaman Beef Curry recipe and if you make it, please let me know down below in the comments or by tagging @theyummy_bowl under your picture on Instagram.

Thank you for reading,

Love,

Julia

Easy Curry Recipes

• Chickpea and Cauliflower Curry
• Turmeric Coconut Curry
• Thai Red Pumpkin Curry
• One Pot Curry Coconut Noodles
• Butter Chicken Masala

Slow Cooker Massaman Beef Curry

Slow Cooker Massaman Beef Curry is an easy, fulfilling comfort food that has layers of flavors from two worlds - Thai and Indian cuisine. Beautifully fragrant, creamy, mildly spicy, and can be eaten on its own with just a slice of bread!

4.50 from 2 votes

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Author: Julia | The Yummy Bowl

Course: Main Course

Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 portions

Calories: 547kcal

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon vegetable or coconut oil
• 1 ½ - 2 lb chuck roast (trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch chunks)
• 1 large yellow onion (cut into half-moons, about ¼ inch thick)
• 4 tablespoon red curry paste
• 3 larger garlic cloves (finely chopped)
• 1 13.5 oz coconut milk
• 1 ½ cup potatoes (peeled, cut into bite-size chunks)
• 2 medium carrots (cut into half-moons, about ½ inch thick)
• ½ cup green beans (fresh or frozen, ends trimmed)
• 1 ½ tablespoon lime juice
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 cup beef broth (add another ½ cup if needed)
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce (gluten-free if using)
• 1 pinch of ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch of red chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar or coconut sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoon cilantro leaves
• 2 Kaffir leaves (optional)

For Garnish

• Chili flakes
• Lime wedges
• Fresh cilantro
• Roasted peanuts

INSTRUCTIONS

• Prepare your meat by trimming the excess fat off and cutting the beef into 1 ½ inch cubes. Season the meat with salt and pepper.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large heavy bottom pan over medium-high heat. Sear the beef chunks until well golden brown (about 4 minutes on both sides is enough). Don’t overcrowd the pan, you’ll need to do this in batches, carefully cleaning the surface of the pan with a paper towel if necessary and adding more oil before the next batch. Don’t change the heat temperature and don’t overcook the beef. Transfer to slow 4.5-quart cooker.
• Add chopped potatoes, carrots.
• In the same pan (cleaned slightly with a paper towel), saute onion until softened and add red curry paste and garlic. Saute 2 minutes more on medium-low. Transfer to slow cooker.
• Add spices, broth, lime juice, coconut milk, sugar, soy sauce, cinnamon stick to the slow cooker. If using kaffir leaves, add them now.
• Cook on LOW for 8 hours or HIGH 4 hours. After that taste for seasoning and add more salt/pepper if necessary. Top with green beans and cook on HIGH for another 15 minutes or LOW for 30 minutes. Taste for seasoning again.
• Garnish Massaman Beef Curry with plenty of fresh herbs such as cilantro, thai basil, mint, parsley, lime wedges, more crushed red chili flakes, peanuts. Serve as it is with bread, grains, rice.

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NOTES

• Beef - any chuck roast cut or round cut will work for this Massaman curry. I always buy the meat at the local butcher. I usually explain to them what I need it for, and they will always ensure I have the freshest and the cut needed for the specific recipe. I would avoid buying ready-made stew cuts or similar as they often have too much fat. And with the whole chuck cut, you can regulate what and how much goes into the curry. If you got a really big chuck roast, cut whatever you need for the curry and immediately freeze the rest for next time.
• Red curry paste - different brands will vary in terms of spiciness and you may need only 2 tablespoons in the end. If not sure, add 2-3 spoonfuls only.
• Cinnamon - for those folks who don’t like strong cinnamon scent or flavor, I would either add only ½ teaspoon or even less ground cinnamon or skip it entirely. As you will feel all the spices cooked in this Massaman Beef Curry very well, especially the cinnamon stick. It is very common in Indian dishes and after tasting this curry I understood why!
  Additions - kaffir leaves give a nice lime flavor if you have it
• Beef broth - I wrote 1 cup of beef broth, but you may add another ½ cup if needed for a thinner curry. It is just a matter of preference. Also, full-fat coconut milk is preferred for a more luscious creamy texture.
• Slow cooker - I used a 4.5-quart slow cooker for this which is more than enough for 5-6 portions or even 7-8 if served with plenty of rice on the side. I cook my food in a slow cooker low and slow, usually, at about the 7-hour mark, I will open the lid and check the beef for doneness. If it is tender enough, I will immediately add in green beans, and let it cook for another 15-20 minutes, and serve right away.
• What beef is best for curry? The best beef for curry is the beef that you would use in stews, pot roasts, and anything that will cook to nice soft and fork-tender almost fall apart pieces. My recommendation is to use chuck roast, round, or brisket beef for this Slow Cooker Massaman Beef Curry. Chuck roast is preferred as it is a lean cut however with a good amount of marbling and less fat that makes it is easy to achieve the tender beef chunks in the end.
• How do I thicken my Massaman Curry in a slow cooker? If you are looking to make your Massaman Curry even thicker, I would recommend using less broth and increasing full-fat coconut milk amount instead. Another way is to use flour or 1-2 tablespoons of cornstarch mixed with water until the liquid paste-like texture and stirring it in the curry towards the end of cooking. Mix it into the slow cooker and cook further on high for 15 minutes until desired thickened result. Keep in mind that curries will thicken even more once cooked and refrigerated.

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Nutrition Facts

Slow Cooker Massaman Beef Curry

Amount Per Serving

Calories 547

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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