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Bowl of slow cooker Massaman beef curry with tender beef chunks, potatoes, and roasted peanuts in coconut sauce

Slow Cooker Massaman Beef Curry

Fall-apart beef slow-cooked in coconut Massaman curry with potatoes and peanuts. Sear first, then let the slow cooker do the rest over 7 to 8 hours.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Total Time 8 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 580
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Beef and seasoning
  • 1.2 kg beef chuck, cut into 5 cm / 2-inch cubes well-marbled for best slow-cooked texture
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil (such as vegetable or canola)
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 0.5 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
Curry base
  • 4 tbsp Massaman curry paste (Mae Ploy or Maesri) adjust to taste
  • 400 ml full-fat coconut milk 1 standard can
  • 250 ml beef stock
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce or soy sauce for vegetarian
  • 2 tbsp palm sugar (or brown sugar)
  • 1 tbsp tamarind paste
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
Vegetables and garnish
  • 1 large yellow onion, cut into wedges
  • 500 g waxy potatoes (Yukon Gold or baby), halved add halfway through cooking
  • 80 g roasted unsalted peanuts stir in at the end
  • small handful fresh cilantro leaves for serving
  • 6 lime wedges for serving

Method
 

Sear the beef
  1. Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.
  2. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat until the oil just starts to smoke.
  3. Sear the beef in two or three batches, leaving space between pieces, for 2 to 3 minutes per side until a deep brown crust forms. Transfer each batch to the slow cooker insert.
Build the curry base
  1. Reduce the heat to medium and add the Massaman paste to the same skillet. Fry for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the paste darkens slightly.
  2. Pour in the coconut milk and beef stock, scraping up any browned bits from the base of the pan.
  3. Stir in the fish sauce, palm sugar, and tamarind paste until combined. Bring to a bare simmer, then pour the sauce over the beef in the slow cooker.
  4. Add the onion wedges, bay leaves, and cinnamon stick. Stir gently to distribute.
Slow cook
  1. Set the slow cooker to LOW and cook for 4 hours.
  2. At the 4-hour mark, add the halved potatoes, pushing them down into the sauce.
  3. Continue cooking for a further 3 to 4 hours on LOW, until the beef is completely tender and pulls apart easily with two forks and the potatoes are cooked through.
Finish and serve
  1. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves.
  2. Skim any visible fat from the surface with a spoon.
  3. Taste the sauce and adjust with more fish sauce for saltiness, palm sugar for sweetness, or tamarind for acidity.
  4. Stir in the roasted peanuts and let the curry rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Serve over jasmine rice, topped with fresh cilantro and a wedge of lime on the side.

Notes

Massaman paste potency varies significantly by brand - Mae Ploy is saltier and spicier than Maesri, so start with 3 tablespoons if using Mae Ploy and taste before adding more.