Go Back
–+ servings
Print Recipe
4.50 from 10 votes

Coconut Curry Shredded Beef

This coconut curry shredded beef recipe is cooked in a richly-flavored Thai red coconut curry broth until it's melt-in-your-mouth tender, then served over rice or noodles with a crisp cucumber salad. See notes below for Instant Pot (pressure cooker) option.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time7 hours 45 minutes
Total Time8 hours
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Thai
Keyword: beef, slow cooker
Servings: 6 to 8 servings
Author: Ali

Ingredients

Coconut Curry Shredded Beef:

  • 3 pound beef chuck roast cut into 2.5-inch cubes
  • fine sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small white onion sliced
  • 3 large garlic cloves pressed
  • 1/2 cup beef broth
  • 1/4 cup Thai red curry paste
  • 2 tablespoons minced or grated fresh ginger
  • 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
  • 1 (15-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • chopped fresh cilantro and finely-chopped peanuts for garnish
  • cooked rice or noodles for serving

Cucumber Salad:

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 6 Persian cucumbers (or 2 English cucumbers) diagonally sliced into half rounds
  • 3 tablespoons finely-chopped fresh cilantro or mint (or a combination)

Instructions

  • Sear the beef. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large stockpot or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the beef in a single layer and let it cook undisturbed until the bottom layer develops a deep golden brown sear. Flip the beef and continue searing each side until evenly browned.
  • Slow cook. While the beef sears, prep the broth. In the bowl of a large slow cooker, stir together the onion, garlic, beef broth, curry paste, ginger and brown sugar until combined. Add the beef in a single layer on top of the onion mixture and toss so that it is coated on all sides with the broth. Cover and slow cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours or until the beef is tender and shreds easily with a fork.
  • Make the cucumber salad. Up to 1 hour before serving, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar together in a mixing bowl until combined. Add the cucumbers and cilantro/mint and toss until evenly coated. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
  • Shred the beef. Transfer the beef to a plate and use two forks to shred it into bite-sized pieces. Add the coconut milk and lime juice to the slow cooker and stir to combine. Add the shredded beef back in and toss to coat in the sauce. 
  • Serve. Serve the beef over rice or noodles alongside the cucumber salad, garnished with fresh cilantro, and enjoy!

Notes

Instant Pot (Pressure Cooker) Option: Complete Step 1 (searing the beef) in the Instant Pot using the "Sauté" button. You may need to do this in two batches in order for the beef to fit in a single layer. Set the seared beef aside. In the bowl of the Instant Pot, stir together the onion, garlic, beef broth, curry paste, ginger and brown sugar until combined. Add the beef in a single layer on top of the onion mixture and toss so that it is coated on all sides with the broth. Cover and pressure on high for 45 minutes, followed by a 10 minute natural release, followed by a quick release. Continue with Steps 3-5 according to the recipe above.