An easy Beef Biryani Recipe that is bursting with deep, rich Middle-Eastern flavours, this is the perfect dish to share with your family. The fragrant rice and the tender spicy beef make a perfect marriage in this superb dinner recipe. It might not be authentic, but it surely is delicious!
After all that baking I've done recently, a spicy dinner dish was in order. I've probably had more beef lately than I had in my entire life, I was usually the kind to choose chicken over and over again until I was tired of it. Diversity is definitely the key to a balanced life, and cooking a wide range of dishes is not only fun, but healthier too.
This beef biryani is absolutely amazing: easy for sure, but not as quick as the recipes you are used to find on my blog. And that's because, in order to achieve perfection, the beef must be cooked until is tender, almost melting in your mouth. And if you go for the regular diced beef, that can't happen so quickly.
Beef is the best example why slow cooking is important. No need to rush it, just leave it to cook on a medium heat, topping up with more liquid until you are happy with its texture. That is why the amount of beef broth needed can only be approximate, it depends entirely on the heat, type of pan used, and so on.
Feel free to add more spices to it, as you top up with more and more liquid, some of the heat might get lost, so season it to taste just before it's ready.
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Ingredients needed
- basmati rice - it's the preferred rice in the Middle Eastern cooking, and it's so easy to use it too
- diced beef - or stewing beef, usually cheaper cuts of beef are the best here
- onions - of any kind
- garlic puree - it's a lot more flavourful and pungent
- ginger puree - can be replaced with fresh ginger if that's what you have
- vegetable oil - or any other oil
- chopped tomatoes - or plum tomatoes, slightly squashed
- chilli powder - or cayenne pepper
- turmeric - for extra flavour and colour
- garam masala - the best mix for biryani
- cumin - either ground or seeds, any would work
- beef stock/broth - for added flavour
- yogurt - I prefer Greek yogurt, but plain one works too
- fresh coriander/parsley - for garnishing
- cloves, cardamom pods, saffron threads - the exotic spices that make such a difference
- milk - for mixing with the saffron get get the yellow colour on the rice
- salt &Â ground pepper - to taste
Step-by-step photos and instructions on how to cook the beef for biryani
You can cook the beef ahead, and just get the rice ready before your meal, otherwise you will need at least 3 hours or so to get it ready in time - unless you cook the beef in a pressure cooker to speed the process up. But, if you go for the traditional stovetop, it will take some time.
- heat up the oil, add the garlic and ginger paste, and cook for about 20-30 seconds until they release their fragrance
- add the chilli powder (or red or green chillies), and cook for a further 10 seconds
- pat dry the diced beef on a kitchen towel, then add them to the pan
- cook until the beef is no longer pink, then add the spices, chopped tomatoes and cover with beef stock/broth
- place the lid on, and leave to cook on a medium heat, topping up with more broth until the beef is tender
- season with salt, pepper, and more spices if necessary
- add the yogurt, and give it a good stir
How to assemble the biryani
Once the beef is cooked, you can get on with the rice. Plain rice would do, but how about we take it to the very next level and add some lovely spices to it, to make it beautifully fragrant, and just perfect to go with that yummy beef.
- rinse the rice in cold water until the water runs clear
- add the water to the pan together with the rice, a pinch of salt, cardamom pods and cloves
- leave to cook until the rice is almost ready, but still has a bit of texture
- drain the water well, then add half of it to a dish
- separately, heat up the oil, add the onions, and fry until golden brown
- top the rice with the beef, then scatter the onions over, and cover with the remaining rice
- mix the saffron with the milk, and pour it over the rice
- cover the dish with kitchen foil, and bake for about 15-20 minutes until the rice is perfectly fluffy
- garnish with coriander or parsley
Can you freeze beef biryani?
The answer is yes, it is absolutely fine to freeze it. Once the biryani is cooked, leave it to cool down completely before adding it to a plastic container.
To defrost, transfer the biryani to an oven-safe container, and leave to heat up until nice and hot. Do not reheat the biryani more than once, as it increases the changes of bacteria developing.
And there you have, a hearty, absolutely delicious dish that can be served even to whose fussy eaters. Add more spice to it if you like, it's a beautiful recipe that can be easily customised.
If you can't wait for the beef to cook, how about a quicker chicken biryani? As delicious, book a lot faster.
If you’ve liked my BEEF BIRYANI RECIPE or any other recipe on the blog, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, and PINTEREST to see more delicious food and what I’m getting up to.
Beef Biryani Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup basmati rice
- 1 lb diced beef
- 2 onions
- 1 tablespoon garlic puree
- 1 tablespoon ginger puree
- 4 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 cup chopped tomatoes
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 8 cups beef stock/broth
- ¼ cup yogurt
- 1 tablespoon fresh coriander/parsley
- 4 cloves
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 teaspoon saffron threads
- 2 tablespoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- â…› teaspoon ground pepper
Instructions
- Heat up 2 tablespoons of oil, add the garlic and ginger puree, and cook for 20-30 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the chilli powder, and cook for a further 10 seconds.
- Pat the diced beef dry with kitchen paper, and add the to the pan, cooking until lightly brown.
- Add the turmeric, garam masala, cumin and the chopped tomatoes together with 4 cups of water.
- Leave to cook on a medium heat with the lid on until the liquid has been absorbed.
- Add more broth as necessary until the beef is tender, and coated in a sauce - add more spices if necessary.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper, add the yogurt, and mix well.
- Rinse the rice under cold water, and add it to the pan together with 1 ¼ cups water, the cardamon and cloves.
- Leave to cook until the rice is nearly cooked, then drain well.
- In an oven-proof dish, spread half of the amount of rice, top with the beef.
- Add the remaining oil to a frying pan, cut the onions into strips, and fry on a low to medium heat until golden brown.
- Spread the fried onions over the beef, then cover with the remaining rice.
- Mix the saffron with the milk, and set aside for 5 minutes until the milk is coloured.
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Celsius (390 Fahrenheit).
- Drizzle the saffron milk over the rice, then cover the dish with kitchen foil.
- Bake for 15 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and fluffy.
- Garnish with chopped parsley or coriander.
Nutrition
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