Smoky Beef Rendang
Smoky Beef Rendang
Ingredients
- 800 g ox cheek, cubed
For the Spice Paste
- 2 onions, roughly diced
- 7 garlic cloves
- 1 thumb sized piece ginger, chopped
- 4 lemongrass stalks, chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 dried red chillies
- 50 g toasted coconut
For the Tempering Spices
- 60 ml oil
- 2 star anise
- 5 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 green cardamon pods
- 10 lime leaves
- 1 x 400g tin coconut milk
- 400 ml water
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 2 tablespoons kecap manis, (sweet soy sauce)
- 20 g palm sugar
- as needed spiced barbecue rub
- as needed water, to help blending
Instructions
- 1
Set up your BBQ for indirect cooking, targeting a temperature of 110°C. Add a couple of chunks of wood (e.g., a large chunk of wood added to charcoal) to impart a smoky flavor.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 110
- 2
Place the diced ox cheek into a bowl. Season the beef with a gentle dusting of a spiced barbecue rub (do not overdo it, as the goal is not to significantly impact the final rendang flavors). Place the seasoned beef onto a rack and then onto the grill to smoke for about 1 hour. Once smoked, remove the beef from the grill and set aside.
⏱️ 75 min•🌡️ 110
- 3
While the beef is smoking, prepare the spice paste. Add all spice paste ingredients (2 roughly diced onions, 7 garlic cloves, 1 thumb sized piece chopped ginger, 4 chopped lemongrass stalks, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 5 dried red chillies, and 50g toasted coconut) into a food processor or mini blender. Blitz the ingredients until smooth. If needed, add a small amount of water to help the blending process along, ensuring the fibrous lemongrass is well broken down.
⏱️ 15 min
- 4
Once the beef is smoked, place a pot (Dutch oven) into the ring just above the hot coals on the BBQ. Pour in the 60ml oil. Add the tempering spices (2 star anise, 5 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, and 5 green cardamon pods) to the hot oil. Fry the tempering spices for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Then, add in the prepared spice paste and fry for a further 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent it from catching on the base of the pan.
⏱️ 15 min
- 5
Add the 10 lime leaves along with the smoked beef to the pot and fry for a few minutes. Pour in the 1 x 400g tin coconut milk and 400ml water. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Bring the mixture up to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Close the BBQ lid and cook gently over a low heat for around 3 to 4 hours until the beef is tender. Stir the pot every 30 minutes, adding more liquid if the sauce starts to reduce too quickly.
⏱️ 240 min
- 6
Season the curry by adding 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, 2 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), and 20g palm sugar. Remove the lid from the pot and cook uncovered for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced considerably and the fats have split from the coconut milk. The curry should be fairly dry at this stage, with the tender beef almost frying in the reduced sauce. Serve immediately with a portion of rice.
⏱️ 30 min
Kitchen Tools
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
Smoky Beef Rendang
- 800 g ox cheek, cubed
For the Spice Paste
- 2 onions, roughly diced
- 7 garlic cloves
- 1 thumb sized piece ginger, chopped
- 4 lemongrass stalks, chopped
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 5 dried red chillies
- 50 g toasted coconut
For the Tempering Spices
- 60 ml oil
- 2 star anise
- 5 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5 green cardamon pods
- 10 lime leaves
- 1 x 400g tin coconut milk
- 400 ml water
- 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
- 2 tablespoons kecap manis, (sweet soy sauce)
- 20 g palm sugar
- as needed spiced barbecue rub
- as needed water, to help blending
Instructions
- 1
Set up your BBQ for indirect cooking, targeting a temperature of 110°C. Add a couple of chunks of wood (e.g., a large chunk of wood added to charcoal) to impart a smoky flavor.
⏱️ 15 min•🌡️ 110 - 2
Place the diced ox cheek into a bowl. Season the beef with a gentle dusting of a spiced barbecue rub (do not overdo it, as the goal is not to significantly impact the final rendang flavors). Place the seasoned beef onto a rack and then onto the grill to smoke for about 1 hour. Once smoked, remove the beef from the grill and set aside.
⏱️ 75 min•🌡️ 110 - 3
While the beef is smoking, prepare the spice paste. Add all spice paste ingredients (2 roughly diced onions, 7 garlic cloves, 1 thumb sized piece chopped ginger, 4 chopped lemongrass stalks, 1 teaspoon turmeric, 1 teaspoon ground coriander, 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 5 dried red chillies, and 50g toasted coconut) into a food processor or mini blender. Blitz the ingredients until smooth. If needed, add a small amount of water to help the blending process along, ensuring the fibrous lemongrass is well broken down.
⏱️ 15 min - 4
Once the beef is smoked, place a pot (Dutch oven) into the ring just above the hot coals on the BBQ. Pour in the 60ml oil. Add the tempering spices (2 star anise, 5 cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, and 5 green cardamon pods) to the hot oil. Fry the tempering spices for 1 to 2 minutes until fragrant. Then, add in the prepared spice paste and fry for a further 10 minutes, stirring frequently to prevent it from catching on the base of the pan.
⏱️ 15 min - 5
Add the 10 lime leaves along with the smoked beef to the pot and fry for a few minutes. Pour in the 1 x 400g tin coconut milk and 400ml water. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Bring the mixture up to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid. Close the BBQ lid and cook gently over a low heat for around 3 to 4 hours until the beef is tender. Stir the pot every 30 minutes, adding more liquid if the sauce starts to reduce too quickly.
⏱️ 240 min - 6
Season the curry by adding 1 tablespoon tamarind paste, 2 tablespoons kecap manis (sweet soy sauce), and 20g palm sugar. Remove the lid from the pot and cook uncovered for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has reduced considerably and the fats have split from the coconut milk. The curry should be fairly dry at this stage, with the tender beef almost frying in the reduced sauce. Serve immediately with a portion of rice.
⏱️ 30 min