Moroccan Braised Beef

This is one of my favorite Project Angel Heart meals. It always makes the kitchen smell so good! I especially like to make it during the colder months, as the bold flavors and spices make it perfect for a snowy day when you want something to simmer on the stove for a while. If you don’t eat gluten, try quinoa instead. 

Moroccan Braised Beef
Serves 6

Braised Beef

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil
  • 2.5 pounds beef stew meat, cubed
  • 2 onions, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 ribs celery, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons ginger, peeled and minced
  • 2 tablespoons cumin, ground
  • 2 tablespoons ginger, ground
  • 2 teaspoons coriander, ground
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ground
  • 1/2 teaspoon allspice, ground
  • 1/2 teaspoon cloves, ground 
  • 64 ounces low-sodium beef broth
  • Kosher salt, black pepper, and lemon juice, to taste
  • Fresh, chopped cilantro, for garnish

Couscous

  • 4 cups water or low-sodium broth
  • 2 2/3 cups couscous

Begin by gathering all of the ingredients above, chopping the vegetables, and keeping them close by. 

Place a two-gallon stock pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the canola oil and then the beef. Cook until beef is browned on all sides, then add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and ginger. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add all of the dried spices. Cook for about 5 more minutes, until the spices are well incorporated and fragrant. 

Add the beef broth and bring the stew to a simmer. Cook for about an hour to an hour and a half, allowing the beef to cook all the way through and the flavors to come together.

While the stew is finishing up, place a small saucepan on the stove and add the water or broth for the couscous. Bring to a boil, then stir in the couscous and immediately remove from heat. Cover the pan and leave, off the heat, for 5 minutes, then fluff couscous with a fork.

Once the beef is nice and tender and the stew has thickened up, remove from heat and season to taste with salt, pepper, and lemon juice. Serve a spoonful over couscous, top with cilantro (and your favorite hot sauce!), and enjoy.

 

Chef Brandon FosterBrandon Foster began his life in the kitchen at the Best Western in Frisco, Colorado, almost 18 years ago. His passion for ingredients and drive to learn technique led him down the mountain to Denver, where he worked in two of Denver’s most fondly remembered restaurants, The Fourth Story and Mel’s. He joined the crew at Vesta in 2005 as a line cook and became executive chef in 2010, focusing on getting back to the roots of cooking through charcuterie and seasonal ingredients. Ultimately, Chef Brandon’s career highlights centered on events like Plates for the Peak, Invest in Kids, and James Beard Foundation dinners where he could play a role in helping people in need- a passion that led him to Project Angel Heart in 2016. Outside the kitchen, Chef Brandon enjoys spending time skiing, camping, golfing, and eating with his wife Larissa and their three kids.