Japanese Beef Curry

Japanese Beef Curry

Serves 8
Japanese curry is thicker and sweeter than Thai or Indian versions, and it's usually not spicy. It's best served over white rice and goes great with katsu (breaded and fried meat). It also keeps and reheats well.

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 pounds stew meat (chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces)
  • 2 russet potatoes (peeled and chopped into 1 1/2-inch cubes (about 3 cups))
  • 2 carrots (chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 3 cups))
  • 1 onion (chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 2 cups))
  • 6 1/2 ounces Japanese curry bricks (such as 2 boxes s&b golden curry mix)

Directions

  1. Place meat in large, heavy-bottomed pot and cover with a couple inches of water. (See Cook's Tips.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Skim off any impurities. Place lid on pot, leaving it slightly open. Allow to simmer 3 hours or until meat is fork-tender.
  2. Add potatoes, carrots, and onion. Increase heat to medium. Break curry cubes into pieces and add to pot. Stir until curry blocks melt. Taste and add water, if necessary. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 20 minutes.
  3. Pressure Cooker Version:
  4. Place meat in cooker's insert with 5 cups water. Close pressure valve and cook on high 20 minutes. Allow steam to release naturally when it is done cooking. Remove debris from sides of pot using a paper towel.
  5. Add potatoes, carrots, and onion. Break curry cubes into pieces and add to pot, making sure that they do not sink to the bottom, lest they burn. Return cover, close pressure valve, and cook on high another 5 minutes. Once steam has naturally released, open and gently stir everything together. Make sure curry blocks have fully melted and sauce is smooth.

Cook Tips

Skip the sear: For additional flavor, stew meat is often seared before liquid is added. This can be done before step 1 in this recipe, but the curry is so flavorful that the return on the effort is minimal, and therefore, the extra step can be omitted.

Make it in steps: Braise stew meat ahead of time and store in refrigerator once fully cooled. When ready to finish curry, remove fat solids and warm beef in its broth. Continue with step 2.

Freeze it for later. Place curry, fully cooked and cooled, in a sealable bag and remove extra air. Lay flat on tray in freezer until frozen. Re-heat by placing bag in pot of warm water.