by Henry Gould – Oct 3rd, 2019

It’s October! That means it’s officially OK to start stewing, braising and slow cooking from now until ~ May 2020. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

This recipe of Jamaican Curry Beef w/ “Rice & Peas” (rice and kidney beans) is exactly what you want when the weather starts to chill down. Best of all, it’s very simple to prepare, inexpensive, and can easily be portioned and frozen in tupperware containers for meals over the coming months.

No, I’m not Jamaican. But I did do some serious research and have cooked this many times before, so please trust me when I say it’s really, really good.  HOWEVER, if you happen to have a Jamaican Curry recipe you think is better, I’d love to see it! –> “[email protected]”

*Try to find a curry powder that has Allspice in it. Allspice or “pimento” is one of the biggest spices in Jamaican and Caribbean cooking. If you can’t find a curry powder with Allspice, buy some ground Allspice and add a punch to the curry. 

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Jamaican Curry Beef w/ “Rice & Peas”

Serves 4+ people

• ~2 kg stewing beef (ex. short rib, blade, chuck, oxtail, brisket)
• Curry powder w/ Allspice (or just add a pinch of ground Allspice)
• Sea salt
• Maggie Seasoning Sauce or Worcestershire Sauce
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Butter
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
• 3 – 5 cloves of garlic, peeled
• 2 tomatoes
• 2 bunches green onions, roots removed, chopped roughly
• 1-2 fresh habanero or scotch bonnet peppers 
• 1 tsp fresh picked thyme leaves
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped into 1 cm cubes
• 1 handful chopped cilantro
• 2 cups basmati rice, rinsed in cold water and allowed to drain in a strainer
• 1 small can red kidney beans, drained (save the bean liquid from the can). 
• 1 cup Chicken broth (optional)
• Fresh limes

Cut your beef into bite sized cubes, then put into a bowl along with 1 tsp spoon of curry powder. Season the beef all over with salt, add a few shakes of Maggi or Worcestershire Sauce, then mix together. Allow to marinate while you prepare the curry.

Put some water in a blender, then add the chopped ginger, tomatoes, green onions, garlic cloves, thyme, and 1-2 habanero or scotch bonnets (2 will be very spicy, FYI). Blend everything together until fully smooth.

Get a large pot and add a healthy chunk of butter and some extra virgin olive oil to thoroughly coat the bottom of the pot. Turn on medium heat and add the blended onion mixture. Cook and stir continuously for 10-20 minutes until all the water has evaporated the mixture begins to fry with the oil. Careful it doesn’t scorch on the bottom of your pot.

Add 1 tbsp of curry powder to the pot and stir. Add the beef and mix around, allowing to fry for a couple minutes. Pour in enough water to just cover the beef, lower the heat and put a lid on the pot. Cook for 60 mins or until the meat is tender.

To make the rice & peas, put the drained rice in a pot along with the drained kidney beans. Add 1 cup of the reserved bean liquid and 1 cup of chicken broth or water. Pour into the pot. Turn the pot on high heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat all the way and cover with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat and allow to sit covered for another 10 minutes. Add the chopped cilantro then fluff the rice and peas with a spatula to combine. Put the lid on to keep warm.

Take the lid off the curry and turn up the heat. Add the carrots. Keep stirring, allowing the water to evaporate, cooking for another 15 minutes. Taste the curry and add salt if needed. Cook until your desired consistency. I like it on the thicker side, other people like more sauce. Your choice. Serve with wedges of fresh lime.