Loading…

By the time the lid comes off, the crushed tomatoes have turned the broth brick red, and the potatoes and carrots are tender but still easy to pick up on a spoon. That balance is what I want from African beef stew: beef that yields without shredding into the sauce, with enough tomato broth to coat everything without turning it into a paste.

I cook the beef first, then give the potatoes and carrots their own stretch in the pot near the end. Chuck needs a long, quiet simmer, while the vegetables don’t. Curry powder, paprika, thyme, ginger, and garlic season the tomato base; a whole pierced chile brings warmth without leaving pieces to bite into.

A six-quart Dutch oven holds everything with room to spare once the vegetables go in. This is a one-pot dinner, but not a rushed one: browning takes separate batches, and the covered simmer does most of the work. The broth stays loose enough to ladle over the chunks, while the carrots bring a gentle sweetness to each spoonful.

Why Crowded Beef Turns Gray Before It Ever Browns

Beef chuck has plenty of connective tissue, so it benefits from a long, gentle simmer. Before that simmer, though, the beef needs a chance to brown. When too many cubes go into the Dutch oven at once, they release moisture into a crowded pot and steam instead of developing the browned surfaces that give the finished broth a deeper, more savory taste.

Working in batches takes a little longer at the stove, but each piece gets contact with the hot pot. That browned flavor doesn’t stay on the beef alone: when the tomatoes and broth go in, the liquid loosens the browned bits from the bottom and carries them through the stew. Don’t rush the browning to get every cube in the pot at once. The batches build flavor in a way that extra seasoning can’t quite replace, and the later simmer takes care of turning the chuck tender.

What Chuck, Crushed Tomatoes, and Yukon Golds Bring to This Pot

• Beef chuck — This cut has enough connective tissue to become tender during the long covered simmer. Choose evenly cut cubes so they cook at a similar pace; lean steak doesn’t give the stew the same tender, slow-cooked texture.
• Crushed tomatoes and tomato paste — The paste adds concentrated tomato flavor, while canned crushed tomatoes give the broth its body. A basic can of crushed tomatoes works well here; there’s no need to pay extra for a premium brand. Stir the paste into the aromatics so it cooks briefly before the liquid goes in.
• Onion, bell pepper, garlic, and ginger — These soften into the base rather than staying as a separate garnish. Fresh ginger is worth grating yourself for its bright, clean bite, while ordinary yellow onion and red bell pepper are just right. Mince the garlic and grate the ginger before they go into the pot so they cook quickly and evenly.
• Curry powder, paprika, and thyme — Together they season the tomato broth with warmth and an earthy, savory note. Use a curry powder that smells fragrant when you open the jar; stale spices give the stew a flatter aroma. Dried thyme fits the long simmer without needing any special preparation.
• Yukon Gold potatoes and carrots — These bring substance and sweetness, and their one-inch pieces finish cooking during the final simmer. Yukon Golds are a good fit because they hold their shape in a stew; cut the carrots to a similar size so neither vegetable is left firm while the other turns soft.
• Scotch bonnet or habanero — Either works as the whole, pierced chile in this pot. Choose between the two based on what you can find and your preferred chile; the single pepper seasons the broth as it simmers. Keep the bay leaf whole as well so both aromatics are easy to remove before serving.

Building the Tomato Broth Before the Vegetables Go In

Brown the Chuck in Uncrowded Batches

Pat the beef dry, season it all over with kosher salt and black pepper, and heat the vegetable oil in a six-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Brown the beef in batches, turning it to color several sides; plan on about eight minutes per batch. Transfer each batch to a plate as it browns. If the cubes look wet instead of browned, give the pot more room by keeping the batches small.

Soften the Aromatics and Wake Up the Spices

Add the chopped onion and red bell pepper to the pot, then cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about five minutes. Stir in the garlic, grated ginger, tomato paste, curry powder, paprika, and dried thyme. Cook this mixture for one minute, stirring so the garlic and spices meet the warm oil without sitting still on the bottom. The vegetables should look softened, and the spice mixture should smell fragrant before the liquids go in.

Give the Beef Its First Covered Simmer

Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, pierced chile, bay leaf, and browned beef with any juices from the plate. Bring the pot to a boil, then cover it and lower the heat to a gentle simmer. Let it simmer over low heat for one hour. Keep the lid on so the beef cooks steadily in the tomato broth instead of losing too much liquid.

Add the Vegetables for the Finish

Stir in the potato chunks and carrot pieces, then cover the pot again. Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are cooked through. Check a potato and a piece of carrot for tenderness rather than judging only by the time; both should yield when pierced. Remove the hot pepper and bay leaf before serving.

How to Tune the Heat or Make a Lower-Starch Pot

Questions That Come Up While This Stew Simmer

African Beef Stew

African beef stew simmers in a rich tomato broth with curry, ginger, potatoes, and carrots until the beef is fork-tender. Brown the beef in batches first for deeper flavor, then let the covered stew cook slowly on the stovetop.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Servings: 6 servings

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: African

Calories: 700

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 1.5 tsp kosher salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2.5 lb beef chuck cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 yellow onion large, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper chopped
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp ginger fresh, grated
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero pepper pierced once
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes cut into 1-inch chunks
• 3 carrots medium, cut into 1-inch pieces

Equipment

• 1 6-quart Dutch oven

Method

 

1. Pat the beef dry and season it all over with the salt and black pepper.
2. Heat the vegetable oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven over medium-high heat, then brown the beef in batches, turning to brown several sides, about 8 minutes per batch; transfer the browned beef to a plate.
3. Add the onion and bell pepper to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
4. Stir in the garlic, ginger, tomato paste, curry powder, paprika, and thyme, and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the crushed tomatoes, beef broth, Scotch bonnet or habanero, bay leaf, and browned beef with any juices; bring to a boil, then cover and simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
6. Stir in the potatoes and carrots, cover, and simmer until the beef is fork-tender and the vegetables are cooked through, 30 to 40 minutes.
7. Remove the hot pepper and bay leaf, then serve.

Notes

Brown the beef in batches without crowding the pot for better browning. Refrigerate leftovers for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months; use low-sodium beef broth to reduce sodium.