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    Red Curry Beef

    December 5, 2024

    Beef simmered in creamy Thai red curry is the ultimate foil for the cold weather. Fragrant, rich, and a bit spicy, the dropping temps are no match for this one-pot super star.

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    coconut milk with beef stock, red curry paste, lime zest, onion, garlic, lemon grass and chuck roast beef in a pot

    A Roast Beef + Red Curry Revelation: AKA The Butcher Knows Best

    You all know that we think that everything tastes better with a little coconut milk and red curry paste, but we actually got the idea from our local butcher. We happened to be picking up a few chuck roasts—they were on sale, so yes, a couple!—and the butcher casually asked if we’d ever tried roasting a chuck roast in coconut milk and red curry. Shockingly, we hadn’t yet tried pairing our beloved red curry with beef yet! Well, we wasted no time getting that beef roast into a nice big pot of Thai red curry paste, lemongrass, and lots of coconut milk. We even tossed in a few sweet potatoes for good measure and boy oh boy. The resulting red curry roast beef was 100% epic. So here it is, friends! One of the best, beefy, cool weather recipes we’ve ever cooked up. For more curry magic try our Lamb Curry and our One-Pot Chicken Meatball and Green Curry Rice.

    coconut milk with beef stock, red curry paste, lime zest, onion, garlic, lemon grass and chuck roast beef in a pot

    Thai Red Beef Curry: One-Pot Comfort

    Hearty, filling, creamy, loaded with warming ginger, onions and garlic, this dish is an absolute miracle. It’s also low-carb, and cooks in one-pot for easy clean up. Plus, nothing about this recipe is very fussy. You’ll need a little time—it’s a low-and-slow kind of recipe—but no fancy ingredients. Here’s all you’ll need to make this delicious beef curry:

    • Olive oil
    • Chuck roast
    • Coconut milk
    • Beef stock
    • Red curry paste
    • Lime
    • Onion
    • Garlic
    • Fresh lemongrass—it is pretty widely available these days, but if you can’t find lemongrass, it’s OK to skip it.
    • Fresh ginger
    • Sweet potatoes
    • Bell peppers
    • Fresh cilantro
    • Fresh basil
    • Thai chilies—these are optional, too! If you like spicy red curry, add a few! If you prefer a mild red curry, just leave them out. Either way, your red curry beef will be delicious.
    coconut milk with beef stock, red curry paste, lime zest, onion, garlic and chuck roast beef in a bow with a linen

    How To Make Red Curry Beef

    For this red curry beef, we’re calling for a chuck roast. It’s the same cut of beef you’d use to make pot roast—it is cut from the shoulder of a cow—and we love it because it’s inexpensive and, with a little slow cooking, it becomes meaty and tender. Gather your ingredients, and get ready for your house to start smelling really, really good. Here’s how to make red curry beef:

    1. Brown your chuck roast—about 5 minutes per side.
    2. Make the red curry sauce that your beef will simmer in. Whisk some of the coconut milk, beef stock, red curry paste, lime, onion, garlic, lemongrass and ginger together in a Dutch oven and give it a little simmer.
    3. Nestle the browned chuck roast into that creamy curry sauce and pop the whole thing in the oven to cook, covered, for about two hours. Low and slow!
    4. When the roast is done—chuck roast is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 160° F—pull it out of the pot and shred the meat using two forks.
    5. Make the curry sauce-y again, and add veggies! Pour in more coconut milk and beef stock and simmer the sweet potatoes and peppers until they’re tender.
    6. Add the beef back to the pot, stir and serve!
    chuck roast Beef in Red Curry with sweet potatoes, ginger, lemongrass, onion, stock, and cilantro in a pot

    Tools You’ll Need

    More Red Curry Recipes To Try

    Once you start making red curry at home, it’s hard to stop—take it from us! But anyway, why would you want to stop? You’re on a roll, keep going! Here are a few red curry recipes we know you’ll love:

    coconut milk with beef stock, red curry paste, lime zest, onion, garlic, lemon grass and chuck roast beef in a pot
    coconut milk with beef stock, red curry paste, lime zest, onion, garlic, lemon grass and chuck roast beef in a pot

    A Delicious Way To Warm Up!

    Try this red curry beef recipe, and let us know how you like it, OK? Share a photo and tag us on Instagram using @themodernproper and #themodernproper so that we can see your stuff! Happy eating!

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    Red Curry Beef

    Updated on December 5, 2024

    • Serves:  8
    • Prep Time:  20 min
    • Cook Time:  2 hrs 10 min
    • Calories:  650
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    Ingredients

    • 1 (2½- to 3-pound) chuck roast, fat trimmed
    • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
    • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
    • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
    • 1 to 2 (12.5-ounce cans) coconut milk
    • 2 cups beef stock
    • 1 to 2 tablespoons red curry paste
    • Zest and juice of 1 lime
    • 1 small white onion, thinly sliced
    • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
    • 1 6 inch piece lemongrass, tough ends removed, smashed and cut into 1-inch slices
    • 1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
    • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed into 2-inch cubes
    • 2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks

    For Serving

    • Chopped fresh cilantro
    • Thinly sliced Thai basil leaves
    • Thinly sliced Thai chilies
    • Cooked rice

    Method

    Oven

    Cook Time: 2 Hours 10 Minutes

    1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

    2. Season the beef all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the meat and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate.

    3. Set aside 1 cup of the coconut milk for later use. To the Dutch oven, add the remaining cup coconut milk, 1 cup of the beef stock, the red curry paste, lime zest and juice, onion, garlic, lemongrass, and ginger. Whisk to combine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then return the meat to the pot along with any collected juices nestling it into the liquid. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for about 2 hours, or until the meat is very tender. Using tongs or two forks, transfer the meat to a plate and shred it, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded beef to the curry and stir to incorporate.

    4. To the Dutch oven, add the remaining cup of beef stock, the reserved 1 cup coconut milk, the sweet potato, and bell pepper. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium low and cook until the sweet potato is just tender, 20 minutes.

    5. Serve the curry as is or spooned over cooked rice. Top with cilantro, Thai basil, and/or Thai chilies as desired.


    Slow Cooker

    Cook Time: 6 Hours

    1. Season the beef all over with the salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is glistening, add the meat and cook until browned, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to the slow cooker pot.

    2. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 cup of the beef stock and the red curry paste until smooth. Add the mixture to the slow cooker pot along with 1 can of the coconut milk, 1 cup of the beef stock, the lime zest and juice, onion, garlic, lemongrass, and ginger. Stir to incorporate. Cover and cook on high for 3 to 3½ hours.

    3. Add the sweet potato and bell pepper, cover again, and continue cooking on high for another 2 hours.

    4. Using tongs or two forks, transfer the meat to a plate and shred it, discarding any large pieces of fat. Return the shredded beef to the curry and stir to incorporate.

    5. Serve the curry as is or spooned over cooked rice or as a soup. Top with cilantro, Thai basil, and/or Thai chilies as desired.


    Instant Pot

    Cook Time: 90 Minutes

    1. Season the beef all over with the salt and pepper. Using the saute function, heat the olive oil in the Instant Pot. Once the oil is glistening, add the meat and cook until browned, about 7 minutes per side.

    2. Add 1 cup of the coconut milk, 1 cup of the beef stock, the red curry paste, lime zest and juice, onion, garlic, lemongrass and ginger. Stir to incorporate. Lock the lid in place, being sure to close the vent valve, and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then quick release if needed.

    3. Using tongs or two forks, transfer the beef to a plate. Add the sweet potato, red bell pepper, and the remaining cup coconut milk. Stir, replace the lid, and cook on high pressure for 10 more minutes.

    4. Meanwhile, shred the meat, discarding any large pieces of fat. When the vegetables are finished cooking, manually release the pressure. Return the shredded beef to the curry and stir to incorporate.

    5. Serve the curry as is or spooned over cooked rice or as a soup. Top with cilantro, Thai basil, and/or Thai chilies as desired.


    Note: Slow cooker & instant pot methods require less liquid, so be sure to follow instructions carefully.

    Nutrition Info

    • Per Serving
    • Amount
    • Calories 650
    • Protein 39 g
    • Carbohydrates 39 g
    • Total Fat 36 g
    • Dietary Fiber 2 g
    • Cholesterol 89 mg
    • sodium 744 mg
    • Total Sugars 5 g

    Red Curry Beef

    Questions & Reviews

    Join the discussion below.

    or
    • Taylor

      Is there a substitute for lemon grass?

      You can just leave it out. Hope you enjoy Taylor!

    • Tania

      Can I use chicken breast instead?

      Sure! Hope you enjoy!

    • Christine

      I'd like to make this with stewing beef instead. Would you say the slow cooker instructions would be the same? Ingredient amounts too? I wouldn't brown the meat for as long, obviously. Thanks!

      Yeah. That should work! Enjoy.

    • Nevaeh

      Can I use green curry? Do you think the flavors would be good?

      Sure!

    • melissa

      This looks amazing! Would there be a way to make this without a dutch oven? I do not own one.

      You will definitely need an oven safe pot for this recipe.

    • Stephanie

      So good. So good.

      Thanks Stephanie, so glad you loved it!

    • jenalys

      Took way longer to cook but absolutely delish! Worth it. I made this for only myself and I've eaten all 2.35 lbs of beef in under a week and I'm an intermittent faster, lol

      WOW! So glad you loved it!

    • Christina

      This was SO good. I had to cook the beef a little longer but it was so worth the wait!

      Thanks Christina, we are so glad you loved it!

    • THOMAS

      I was making venison chili and pulled out too much venison. Was planning on making a red curry ramen and stumbled upon this recipe. Made it with a venison roast and oh my gosh....maybe the best dish I've ever made!!! The venison turned out to be so tender and taasty...I may never make venison any other way again!!! Fantastic 5 star recipe for certain. My family generally does not appreciate venison but this may change their minds.

      Thanks Thomas! We are so happy you loved it!

    • Nikki

      Yum!

      Thanks Nikki!