Slow Cooker
Slow Cooker Beef Rendang
Tender beef in a rich coconut, lemongrass and ginger sauce with toasted coconut. Pan prep at the start, then finish entirely in the slow cooker.
Ingredient quantities update automatically
Ingredients
Spice paste
Curry
Serves 2 generously as written. Move the slider to scale the ingredients. Break whole spices into pieces when making a smaller batch. Cooking times are guides; use a slow cooker size suited to your batch and check the beef for tenderness.
Method
Before starting the beef, stir the desiccated coconut in a dry frying pan over a medium-low heat until deep golden. Transfer immediately to a bowl and set aside. This is done during prep, so there is no pan work at the end.
Blend the spice paste ingredients until fairly smooth, adding just enough water to help the blender work. Keep the paste thick rather than runny.
Heat the oil in the frying pan. Brown the beef in batches, then transfer to the slow cooker.
Lower the heat and fry the paste in the same pan for 4–5 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Add a splash of the measured coconut milk to loosen any browned bits, then scrape everything into the slow cooker.
Add the remaining coconut milk, lime leaves, cinnamon, star anise, tamarind, sugar and salt. Stir, cover and cook on low for 7–8 hours, until the beef yields easily to a fork. Do not add stock or extra water.
Remove the cinnamon, star anise and lime leaves. Gently stir in the toasted coconut, switch to high and remove the lid. Cook uncovered for about 45–90 minutes, stirring gently every 15–20 minutes, until the sauce is as thick as you like. The time depends on your cooker and batch size; the sauce should remain hot and gently bubbling. There is no need to transfer it to a saucepan.
Taste and adjust the salt and tamarind, then serve straight from the slow cooker. This version has a rich, thick sauce but will usually be saucier and less caramelised than rendang finished in a pan.