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What is Beef Rendang?
Beef Rendang (Rendang Daging) is a rich and spicy Indonesian coconut beef stew from Padang, West Sumatra, that incorporates thick chunks of beef in a sauce of coconut milk seasoned with lots of herbs and dry curry spices, all simmered until melt-in-your-mouth tender. The beef cooks low and slow as the coconut milk darkens to a caramel brown, resulting in a curry-like stew that offers an explosion of flavor in every bite. There are some variations of ingredients, but the keys are the combination of rendang paste with spicy chilies, generous garlic and more, and the thick coconut milk that marry for huge flavor. Try this once and you’ll be making it over and over again. Let’s talk about how to make beef rendang, shall we?
FOR THE RENDANG PASTE Shallots, chopped Thai peppers, chopped (or use spicy red chilies, or milder peppers for less heat) Garlic, chopped Fresh chopped ginger (or use dried) Fresh chopped galangal (or use dried) Fresh chopped turmeric (or use dried) Black peppercorns, crushed Cloves FOR THE BEEF RENDANG Oil as needed Boneless beef chuck (or use short ribs) Thick coconut milk Makrut lime leaves (use bay leaves as an alternative) Lemongrass, bottom half only, smashed with a spoon Cinnamon Palm sugar (or use brown sugar) Salt to taste FOR GARNISH Fresh sliced lime leaves or chopped herbs, spicy chili flakes, crispy fried shallots
Cook the Curry Paste. Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to medium heat. Add the Rendang paste and cook for 2 minutes, stirring a bit. Cooking the chili pastes helps to develop much of the initial flavor. Lightly Brown the Beef. Slice the beef into 2 inch chunks and add the beef to the pot. Stir and cook for a minute, coating the meat with the paste. Notice how the color has darkened to a lighter brown, more of a caramel color. It will continue to turn dark brown as the stew simmers and the oil separates from the coconut milk. Cooking time can vary greatly. See the Recipe Tips & Notes section. Be sure to stir to prevent scorching. Stirring constantly is very helpful. Remove From Heat. Remove from heat and remove large spices, like the cinnamon stick. Squeeze on fresh lime juice if you’d like. Garnish and serve! You can serve it right away, but the dish gets even better if you let it sit for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator to develop more flavor. Just reheat it to serve. That’s it, my friends. I hope you enjoy your new beef rendang recipe. Let me know if you make it. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you. Keep it spicy!
Coconut & Sambal, by Lara Lee (affiliate link, my friends!) Indonesian Cooking: Satays, Sambals and More: Homestyle Recipes with the True Taste of Indonesia, by Dina Yuen (affiliate link, my friends!) The Food of Indonesia: Delicious Recipes from Bali, Java and the Spice Islands, by Heinz von Holzen & Lother Arsana (affiliate link, my friends!)
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 2/21/24 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 11/30/20.
