Beef and Rice Pilaf
A hearty and flavorful Beef and Rice Pilaf recipe perfect for family gatherings.
Equipment
- Dutch oven or deep-sided sauté pan Needed for browning the beef and cooking the pilaf.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 2 lbs beef chuck or beef sirloin, cut into 1-inch pieces
- 0.25 cup vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion, diced
- 2 medium carrots, shredded
- 10 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups beef broth
- 1.5 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 15 oz chickpeas, drained
- 0.5 cup golden raisins
- 2 cups long grain rice (Jasmine or Basmati rice)
- 1 serving pickles of choice for garnish
- 1 serving hard-boiled eggs for garnish
Instructions
- Rinse the rice in a sieve under cold water until the water runs clear. Place the rice in a bowl and cover it with water by 1 inch. Set it aside to soak.
- Heat a Dutch oven or a deep-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat. It needs to be hot to sear the beef properly without steaming and losing its juices when browning.
- Season the cubed beef with 1 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Brown the beef in 3 tablespoons of oil, stirring often for about 3-5 minutes until it develops a rich color. Remove the beef from the pan and set it aside.
- In the same pan, add the onion, carrot, and garlic to the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Sauté until golden brown, about 5 minutes, which will enhance the flavors.
- Return the beef and any accumulated juices back to the pan. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, along with the spices, and stir everything together, cooking for another minute to bloom the spices.
- Add the beef broth, stir, and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, cover, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 90 minutes or until the meat is tender.
- Stir in the chickpeas and golden raisins. Sprinkle the drained, uncooked rice over the meat and broth in the pan in an even layer without stirring. Ensure the rice is covered with about 1/2 inch of broth. Add more broth or water if needed to ensure enough liquid.
- Cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes until the rice is fully cooked and all liquids have evaporated. After this, remove from heat and let the rice stand covered for 10 minutes. This helps the rice finish cooking in its own steam.
- Before serving, gently fold the rice and beef mixture together to combine. Serve with optional pickles of your choice or hard-boiled eggs for a delightful garnish.
Notes
You can customize this dish by adding your favorite spices or vegetables. Ensure the rice is not stirred once it's added to the pan to cook properly.