Slow Cooker Japanese Beef Curry
This Slow Cooker Japanese Beef Curry is rich, comforting and unbelievably easy to make. Tender chunks of beef simmer with vegetables in a deeply savoury curry sauce that tastes like it’s been cooking all day because it has. Includes slow cooker, pressure cooker and oven methods so you can make it whichever way suits you best.
Servings: 4 serves
Ingredients
- 2 carrots peeled
- 1 large potato peeled
- 1 brown onion peeled
- 2 tomatoes
- 500 g beef chuck steak cut into large cubes
- 4 Japanese Curry roux cubes
- 20 g butter
- 30 mL espresso
- 125 mL water
- Steamed short grain rice to serve
Instructions
Slow Cooker Method
- Cut carrots and potato into large chunks and onion and tomatoes into wedges.
- Add vegetables, beef, curry roux cubes, butter, espresso and water to your slow cooker. Stir gently to combine.
- Place the lid on and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 7–8 hours.
- Once cooked, stir the curry well to break down the vegetables slightly and create a rich, thick gravy. Serve with steamed short grain rice.
Pressure Cooker Method
- Add all ingredients except the rice to your pressure cooker or Instant Pot.
- Stir gently, secure the lid and cook on HIGH pressure for 30 minutes.
- Allow for a natural pressure release for 10–15 minutes before opening the lid.
- Stir well until the curry thickens into a rich sauce. Serve with steamed short grain rice.
Oven Method
- Preheat oven to 160°C fan forced (320°F).
- Increase water to 250mL. Add all ingredients to a large oven-safe Dutch oven or casserole dish with a lid. Stir gently to combine.
- Cover and cook for 2-3 hours, stirring once halfway through if desired.
- Once the beef is tender, stir the curry well to create the thick gravy-like sauce. Serve with steamed short grain rice.
Notes
- Japanese curry roux: Choose your favourite curry roux cubes, rather than the ready-made paste.
- Beef choice: Chuck steak works best because it becomes soft and tender during the long cooking process, but any suitable slow-cooker cut is suitable. Chat to your butcher for recommendations.
- Espresso addition: Don’t skip the espresso. It deepens the flavour of the curry without making it taste like coffee.
- Vegetable texture: The vegetables soften significantly as they cook, release water and help naturally thicken the sauce when stirred through at the end.
- Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freezing: This curry freezes beautifully for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
- Make ahead: The flavour develops even more overnight, making this a great meal prep or freezer meal option.