Stovetop Beef Pilaf: Tender and Aromatic

Prepare a hearty, tasty and aromatic meat dish! Beef is considered tougher than pork, but pilaf in a beef cauldron on the stove turns out very tender and the meat literally falls into pieces. Curry turns the rice golden, and the aroma in the kitchen is incredible.
cook time: 1h 20 min
Isla Thatcher
Stovetop Beef Pilaf: Tender and Aromatic

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

301
Calories
15g
Fat
31g
Carbs
11g
Protein

Ingredients (8 portions)

Basic:

Onion 1 pc
Garlic (2 heads) 15 g
Salt 1 tbsp
Ground black pepper to taste
Rice 600 g
Beef (pulp) 600 g
Carrot (large) 1 pc
Vegetable oil 200 ml
Dry spices (for pilaf) 0.5 tsp
Curry 1 tsp

Recipe instructions

Step 1

Step 1
How to make pilaf in a cauldron from beef on the stove? Prepare all the necessary ingredients for the pilaf. It is advisable to use only beef pulp without hard veins and tendons. For pilaf you need special rice, it is called “For pilaf”, or regular steamed rice is suitable, which retains its shape well during heat treatment. Read more about different types of rice in the article, the link is at the end of this recipe.

Step 2

Step 2
Rinse the beef thoroughly under running water, dry and cut into medium cubes. You shouldnʼt cut it too finely — the beef can dry out and become tough, and large pieces are inconvenient to eat.

Step 3

Step 3
Wash the carrots with a brush under running water, peel, rinse and cut into small cubes. As I noticed, in almost all pilaf recipes the carrots are chopped and not grated. In this case, there is a higher chance that it will remain intact and retain its shape. As a result, the pilaf will look more beautiful.

Step 4

Step 4
Peel the onion. Usually the onion for pilaf is cut into small cubes and fried along with the meat (step 6). I don’t like and can’t stand the distinct taste of onions in pilaf, so I put the onion in whole: this way it will give off all its properties and aroma, but its taste will be completely unnoticeable. Therefore, if you like onions, then cut the onion into small cubes.

Step 5

Step 5
Rinse the rice thoroughly in cold water until it is clean and without a whitish tint.

Step 6

Step 6
Remove the outer skin from the garlic heads until the cloves are visible. This will ensure that the garlic releases its aroma and taste better.

Step 7

Step 7
Heat vegetable oil in a cauldron. Add the meat and fry over high heat, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes until golden brown. The fire must be strong so that the meat boils in vegetable oil. This will quickly seal all the meat juices in the beef and it will retain its juiciness. At the same stage, you can add chopped onion and fry along with the meat. Read the article about which oil to choose for frying, link at the end of the recipe.

Step 8

Step 8
Add carrots to the meat, stir and fry everything together, stirring, for another 4-5 minutes.

Step 9

Step 9
Pour 1 cup of boiling water into the cauldron. Add curry, pilaf spices, ground pepper and salt. Mix everything. You will find out what spices are best to add to rice by reading the article on this topic, the link is at the end of this recipe.

Step 10

Step 10
Add the whole onion (if you also decided not to add it chopped in step 6) and the whole heads of garlic. Reduce the heat to minimum so that the boil is very low (I use mode 2-3). Simmer everything together for about 40 minutes.

Step 11

Step 11
Pour the rice into the cauldron and smooth it out. There is no need to mix rice with meat.

Step 12

Step 12
Carefully pour boiling water over everything so that it rises about 1.5 cm above the level of the rice. At the same time, you need to try not to mix the layers of meat and rice.

Step 13

Step 13
Cook the pilaf over low heat without a lid until the water evaporates. This may take approximately 12 to 16 minutes depending on the type of rice, the thickness of your cauldron and the intensity of the fire on the stove. The rice will increase in size and absorb all the water. Do not stir the pilaf during cooking!

Step 14

Step 14
Cover the cauldron with a lid and cook the pilaf for another 5-7 minutes. Then turn off the fire. Let the pilaf brew under the lid for about 10 minutes. Delicious homemade pilaf with meat in a cauldron is ready! Bon appetit!

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