Japanese Beef Curry (EXTRA SAVOURY)
I promise you will LOVE my EXTRA SAVORY Japanese Beef Curry that is also easy to make at home. The beef is cooked so soft and tender that you can even break it apart with a fork. The curry has layers of flavor, from sauteed onions to my 3 secret ingredients for extra depth! Get a giant rice bowl ready because this Cooking Mama recipe is CHEFS KISS. Trust me, you will not want to miss out on it! This rich, savory, and creamy ONE POT DINNER is the perfect recipe to have this weekend!
Extra Flavorful Beef Curry with Secret Hacks
I am not exaggerating when I say my Japanese Beef Curry will blow your mind! I love making Japanese Beef Curry because it is easy, simple, and done all in one pot. You can customize your curry with different vegetables and protein based on your personal preference. It is also the perfect meal prep dish, because you can keep it in the fridge for 1-2 days, or even freeze it so you can have curry anytime. With this recipe, I specifically collected all the viral Japanese housewife tips and secret ingredients to build layers and layers of flavor that elevate this Japanese Curry from straight out of the box to restaurant quality!
Beef Curry Ingredients
- 2 lb Beef Stew Meat I am using Chuck Roast
- 1 tsp Salt & Black Pepper
- 1.5 tbsp Curry Powder
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 3 Onions sliced
- 2 Potato Large, Cut into chunks
- 2 Carrot Large Cut into Chunks
- 6-8 cups Water
- 1.5 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk
- 2 pieces Unsweeten Dark Chocolate
- 1/4 Apple grated
- 1 pack Japanese Curry Cubes About 115g
Caramelized Onions
Beef and onion are the perfect matches made in heaven. So, before cooking the curry, I saute the onions to build a layer of flavor that will melt in to the curry. Even tho it adds a few extra minutes into the process, the sauteed onions provide an instant sweetness and richness that makes it worth it!
3 Surprising Secret ingredients for better Curry
If you’ve made Japanese curry by simply following the curry cube box instructions, you’ll know that sometimes it just doesn’t come out as rich and layered as the curry you get from restaurants. I’ve learned a few viral Japanese housewife tricks to elevate this simple dish to a restaurant-quality level you’ll want again and again. Here are my 3 secret ingredients!
- Apples: Provides a subtle fruity sweetness that cuts down on the saltiness and sharpness of the spices and adds body to the curry sauce. The juices also help break down the beef as it simmers.
- Dark Chocolate: Adds a deep, savory contrast to the sweetness of apples and onions that blends well with the existing curry and spice flavors. Use 70% or higher for best flavors. If you don’t have dark chocolate, you can also use instant coffee instead.
- Coconut milk: This is not traditionally found in Japanese Beef Curry. However, this is my mother-in-law’s SECRET tip which makes the curry EXTRA creamy. The first time I tried her curry, I instantly fell in love. I love that while coconut milk makes the curry creamy, it doesn’t make the dish too heavy. Trust me; once you give it a try, you will always want to add coconut milk into your curry.
Storing Extra Beef Curry
My mom made curry at least once a month because it is always a family favorite, but also because it saves her a ton of work by cooking a big pot for multiple meals. It actually tastes even better the next day! If you have leftover curry in the pot after dinner, just keep it in the pot, or store in an air-tight container, in the fridge overnight. The potatoes and starches absorb the curry flavors and become much more infused, and thickens the sauce so it clings to rice and noodles even better.
To store in the freezer, remove the potatoes from the curry and freeze in airtight containers for up to 1.5 months. The potatoes are removed because after freezing, their texture gets a bit weird. However, if you’re eating it the day before, just scoop up all the potatoes so you can freeze the rest.
Step By Step Instructions For Japanese Beef Curry
- Cut beef into 1 ½ inch cubes and season with salt, black pepper, 2 tbsp of oil, and 1.5 tbsp of Curry Powder. Set it aside for 10 minutes.
- In a pan, add oil and add sliced onions. Turn the heat up to medium-high and saute for 5-6 minutes or until it turns soft, translucent, and slightly brown. Remove the onions and set them aside.
- In a large pot, add oil and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the beef and saute for 3-4 minutes or until the outside is brown. Add in onions and mix them.
- Pour in 6-8 cups of water and bring it to a simmer. Once it is simmering, put the lid on and let it cook for 30 minutes on medium-low heat. Stir occasionally, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- After 30 minutes, add in potato and carrots and let it cook for another 30 minutes or until it becomes soft.
- Finally, add in the grated apple, two pieces of dark chocolate, one pack of curry cubes, and 1.5 cups of whole fat coconut milk. Mix till everything is combined and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve with rice and ENJOY!
Do you like ONE-POT DINNER recipes? Here are more One-Pot dinner ideas that are also super delicious!
- Chicken Adobo (One-Pot Dinner)
- EXTRA CREAMY Japanese Chicken Curry – One-Pot Dinner
- Taiwanese Tender Short Ribs (Instant Pot)
- Asian Honey Garlic Potatoes (Only 5 Ingredient!)
Japanese Beef Curry
By Tiffy Cooks
Ingredients
- 2 lb Beef Stew Meat I am using Chuck Roast
- 1 tsp Salt & Black Pepper
- 1.5 tbsp Curry Powder
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 3 Onions sliced
- 2 Potato Large, Cut into chunks
- 2 Carrot Large Cut into Chunks
- 6-8 cups Water
- 1.5 cup Full Fat Coconut Milk
- 2 pieces Unsweeten Dark Chocolate
- 1/4 Apple grated
- 1 pack Japanese Curry Cubes About 115g
Instructions
- Cut beef into 1 ½ inch cubes and season with salt, black pepper, 2 tbsp of oil, and 1.5 tbsp of Curry Powder. Set it aside for 10 minutes.
- In a pan, add oil and add sliced onions. Turn the heat up to medium-high and saute for 5-6 minutes or until it turns soft, translucent, and slightly brown. Remove the onions and set them aside.
- In a large pot, add oil and turn the heat up to medium-high. Add the beef and saute for 3-4 minutes or until the outside is brown. Add in onions and mix them.
- Pour in 6-8 cups of water and bring it to a simmer. Once it is simmering, put the lid on and let it cook for 30 minutes on medium-low heat. Stir occasionally, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom.
- After 30 minutes, add in potato and carrots and let it cook for another 30 minutes or until it becomes soft.
- Finally, add in the grated apple, two pieces of dark chocolate, one pack of curry cubes, and 1.5 cups of whole fat coconut milk. Mix till everything is combined and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve with rice and ENJOY!
Great recipe! Very flavorful and I loved how convenient it was with everything cooking in one pot. I made a couple adjustments – I used cocoa powder instead of dark chocolate and I added about half a cup of coconut milk instead of 1.5. I also splashed in some rice cooking wine and red wine vinegar for some brightness. Lastly I added some garlic, coriander powder, and was generous with the black pepper. Saving this for reference!
What is the red pickled garnish on the side of the plate called?
Hi Bea, this is Japanese Pickled Ginger. You can find it prepackaged at most Asian supermarkets – its spicy and sour, and adds a kick to this beef curry 🙂
Tiffy
Fukujinzuke is the pink pickled condiment served with Japanese curry.
Chris, it is sooooo good right? 😋