Slow Cooker Beef Rendang

5 from 1 vote

To make Slow Cooker Beef Rendang, all you need to do is throw everything into the Crock-Pot and come back in 5 hours to a thick, fragrant curry beef stew.

Prep Time30

Cook Time6

Total Time6 30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Asian, Indonesian, Malaysian

Servings: servings

Calories: 612kcal

Author: Kelly (Garlic All Day)

Ingredients

2 pounds stewing beef chunks or boneless beef shank in 2-inch cubes
1 can full-fat coconut milk
4 whole cloves
3 stalks lemongrass cut into 2-inch segments
1 inch ginger
2 inches galangal
1 head garlic 10 to 12 cloves
5 Thai chile peppers *can sub with dried red chilies
5 shallots or 1 medium onion
½ tablespoon salt
1 whole star anise
2 inch cinnamon stick
¼ cup toasted coconut flakes aka kerisik
12 makrut lime leaves aka kaffir lime leaves
1 tablespoon tamarind paste *can sub with ½ tablespoon each of lime juice and brown sugar

Instructions

Add 2 pounds stewing beef chunks or boneless beef shank to a slow cooker.
In a blender or food processor (see Note 1), blend 1 can full-fat coconut milk, 4 whole cloves, half of the 3 stalks lemongrass, 1 inch ginger, 2 inches galangal, 1 head garlic, 5 Thai chile peppers, 5 shallots or 1 medium onion, and ½ tablespoon salt into a chunky puree. Pour the mixture over the beef in the slow cooker.
Add 1 whole star anise, 2 inch cinnamon stick, ¼ cup toasted coconut flakes, and remaining half of the 3 stalks lemongrass.
Slow cook on high for 6 hours. After 3 hours, stir in 12 makrut lime leaves. Try to do this quickly, and put the lid back on as soon as possible to stop heat from escaping.
After 6 hours, stir in the 1 tablespoon tamarind paste and taste for salt, add more if needed. If the stew looks too wet, remove the lid and let it continue to simmer on high heat for 30 minutes. Beef rendang should be quite dry with barely any liquid.
Serve with steamed white rice!

Notes

You can also pound the aromatics paste in a mortar and pestle, which yields slightly better results. But the blender/food processor is much quicker and easier.

Nutrition