Slow Cooker Beef Biryani

No ratings yet

Prep Time20

Cook Time8

Marinating (optional)8

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: Slow Cooker Beef Biryani

Servings:

Calories: 770kcal

Combine the yogurt, tomato paste, lemon juice, chili, garlic, ginger, spices and salt in a large bowl. Add the beef and stir to coat in the marinade. Cover and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes or, ideally, overnight.
1 cup (240g) plain yogurt, 3 tbsp tomato paste, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 1 green chili, 2 tsp sweet paprika, 1 tsp garam masala, ¼ tsp cayenne pepper, 4 cloves garlic, 2 tsp minced ginger, 1 tsp salt

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the meat to a bowl and reserve the marinade.
1 lb (450g) chuck steak
Heat oil in a large skillet and sear the beef, in batches, until colored on all sides. You can skip this step if you want and cook the beef in the slow cooker without browning first.
2 tbsp neutral oil

Add the beef and chicken stock to the slow cooker and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or until the beef is soft and succulent. Transfer the meat and cooking liquid to a large bowl.
2 cups (500ml) chicken stock

Heat the ghee in a small saucepan, add the saffron strands and set aside to infuse.
4 tbsp melted ghee, 1 pinch saffron strands
Rinse the rice to remove excess starch then drain. Spread half of the rice in the slow cooker (no need to clean first). Add a layer of the reserved marinade, fried shallots and chopped cilantro and mint.
1 cup (200g) parboiled rice, 1 cup (100g) crisp fried shallots, 3 tbsp fresh mint leaves, ½ cup (25g) cilantro (coriander)
Repeat the layering with the remaining rice, marinade, shallots and herbs and top with the beef and cooking liquid. Drizzle with the saffron-infused ghee, cover and cook on the HIGH setting for 2-3 hours, checking the rice after 2 hours to see if the rice needs to cook for longer.

Gently stir the rice to fluff it up and combine the ingredients. Have a taste and adjust the seasoning if needed. Transfer the biryani to a platter or serve directly from the crock pot.
3 tbsp cilantro and mint, 1 green chili

Using basmati rice: You can use basmati rice in this recipe, but you will need to partially cook it first before transferring to the slow cooker. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear and soak for 30 minutes. Boil in lightly salted water for 7-8 minutes or it is about 80% cooked then drain and use as in the recipe method.
Pleas note: You can skip the searing if you like but make sure the beef is cooked until tender first before layering with the rice. Simply cook in the crockpot for 6-8 hours on LOW or 4-5 hours on HIGH. You can also pressure cook the beef in the Instant Pot for 25 minutes at high pressure, allow for natural release and then transfer to the slow cooker.
Leftovers & Storage: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat gently on the stovetop or the microwave, adding a splash of water to loosen the rice.