This slow cooker beef madras recipe is full of tender beef in a rich spiced tomato gravy. It is one of those easy family dinners you just prepare in the morning and leave the slow cooker to do the rest of the work. Come dinner time you have a delicious curry ready to enjoy, just serve with fluffy rice, naan or chapatis.
We love Indian curries! Mild chicken pasanda is always popular with kids and adults alike. For vegans and vegetarians, mushroom bhaji and chana masala (chickpea and tomato curry) are packed with flavour – and not just for those that don’t eat meat!
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Why we love this recipe
- This slow cooker beef curry is such an easy family dinner that you can prep and then leave for the slow cooker to do its magic!
- Traditional madras is a spicy curry, but I have mellowed the heat to make it milder and suitable for kids as well as adults to enjoy.
- A great recipe to meal prep or make ahead – and, like pretty much most curries their flavour improves overnight, so leftovers taste great!
- Slow cooking beef means you can use those cheaper cuts that need that long cook in a gentle heat and you still get to enjoy beef whilst keeping your food bills down.
- This Indian beef curry is a dairy free curry.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for ingredient quantities.
- Beef – chuck steak or stewing steak are the best cuts of beef to use in this slow cooker curry.
- Whole Spices – coriander seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds and cloves.
- Ground spices – turmeric, chilli powder, and ground cinnamon.
- Oil – neutral oil such as rapeseed or sunflower oil. Or you can use ghee.
- Onion – brown onion.
- Fresh green chilli – or use fresh red chilli.
- Fresh ginger – or use jarred minced ginger.
- Garlic – or use jarred crushed garlic.
- Curry leaves – these are optional, but if you can get them I recommend using them in the beef curry as they add a lovely sweet fragrant flavour.
- Tomatoes – using tinned / canned chopped tomatoes is an economical way of cooking tomatoes year round. If you use plum tomatoes or whole tomatoes, break them up with a spoon before adding to the slow cooker.
- Tamarind paste or puree – Tamarind adds a slight sourness to the curry. I use this Tamarind puree. If you use tamarind pulp that you have rehydrated, you may need slightly less.
How to make beef madras in the slow cooker
Please scroll down to the recipe card at the end of the post for the full recipe.
- Make the madras powder: Place the coriander seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, cloves and salt in a pestle and mortar or spice blender and grind to a powder.
- Stir in the turmeric and chilli powder.
- Mix the spice with the cubed chuck steak and leave to one side whilst you prepare the sauce.
- Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan and add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add the curry leaves and chopped onion.
- When the onion is soft add the grated ginger, crushed garlic, ground cinnamon and hot chilli powder and cook for a minute. Tip into the slow cooker.
- Wipe the pan with a paper towel, add a tablespoon of oil and sear the spiced beef over a medium to high heat, until all sides are golden, this takes approx 3-5 minutes.
- Tip the beef into the slow cooker, pour the water in the pan and then add to the slow cooker to get all the beef flavour from the frying pan.
- Stir then place the lid on and cook on a low heat for 8 hours.
FAQ
What does Madras curry taste like?
Madras is fragrent with spices, with a slight chilli heat – the degree of this is up to you – and then a sour kick from tamarind.
How do you thicken Madras curry?
If the sauce is too thin, mix a little cornstarch or arrowroot with some of the curry sauce, then mix back into the rest of the curry and slow cooker for 20-30 minutes.
My recipe tips
- This is a mild madras, made to be kid friendly. However if you would like a spicy madras, increase the chilli powder slightly.
- I often make double the amount of spice mix and store half in an airtight jar for a couple of weeks, this makes it even quicker to prepare in the morning.
Add some red lentils.
Add 70g / ⅓ cup of red lentils and increase the liquid amount by 240ml / 1 cup.
Serving Ideas
Serve with some fluffy rice, homemade chapati or naan bread.
Cooling beetroot raita or a fresh coriander chutney.
Make ahead/storage
This beef curry will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Freeze: cool the curry completely then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a sauce pan or microwave until piping hot.
Ideas for leftover ingredients
- Curry leaves – use in this sausage rougaille, or Indian sausage curry. Or fry them in a little oil and use them to top your favourite curry when serving. You can freeze curry leaves or fry them in a little oil over a medium heat (they will spit!) and sprinkle over curries and soups.
Why not try…
You may also like these other family friendly slow cooker recipes:
Slow Cooker Beef Madras
Author: Robyn
This slow cooker beef madras recipe is full of tender beef in a rich spiced tomato gravy. It is a fuss free family dinner that is budget friendly and loved by kids. It is freezer friendly too!
Ingredients
- 400g (14 oz) chuck steak, diced
- 1 Tablespoon neutral oil such as vegetable oil
Madras Powder
- 1 Tablespoon coriander seeds
- ½ Teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ Teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ Teaspoon black peppercorns
- ¼ Teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 whole cloves
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon turmeric
- ½ Teaspoon chilli powder
Sauce
- 1 Tablespoon neutral oil such as vegetable oil
- 1 Teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 curry leaves, optional
- 2cm (¾ inch) fresh ginger, grated
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 green chilli, sliced down the middle
- ¼ Teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ Teaspoon hot chilli powder
- 125 ml (½ c) water
- 400g (14 oz) tin / can tomatoes
- 2 Teaspoons tamarind pulp
Instructions
Prepare the Madras powder
- Place the coriander seeds, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds, cloves and salt in a pestle and mortar or spice blender and grind to a powder.
- Stir in the turmeric and chilli powder.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the madras powder with the cubed steak and leave to one side whilst you prepare the sauce.
- Heat the oil in a non stick frying pan and add 1 teaspoon mustard seeds.
- Once the mustard seeds start to pop, add the chopped onion and curry leaves and cook over a medium heat for 7-10 minutes until the onions are soft.
- Add the grated ginger, crushed garlic, ground cinnamon and hot chilli powder and whole chilli and cook for a minute.
- Pour into the slow cooker.
- Wipe the pan with a paper towel, add the other tablespoon of oil and sear the spiced beef over a medium to high heat, until all sides of the cubes of beef are golden. This takes approx 3-5 minutes.
- Tip the beef into the slow cooker, pour the water in the pan and then add to the slow cooker to get all the beef flavour from the frying pan.
- Add the tomatoes and tamarind pulp to the slow cooker. Stir then place the lid on and cook on a low heat for 8 hours.
- Check the beef is tender, and serve with rice and naan bread.
- Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
Beef – chuck steak or stewing steak are the best cuts of beef to use in this slow cooker curry.
Whole Spices – coriander seeds, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, black peppercorns, fennel seeds and cloves.
Ground spices – turmeric, chilli powder, and ground cinnamon.
Oil – neutral oil such as rapeseed or sunflower oil. Or you can use ghee.
Onion – brown onion.
Fresh green chilli – or use fresh red chilli.
Fresh ginger – or use jarred minced ginger.
Garlic – or use jarred crushed garlic.
Curry leaves – these are optional, but if you can get them I recommend using them in the beef curry as they add a lovely sweet fragrant flavour.
Tomatoes – using tinned / canned chopped tomatoes is an economical way of cooking tomatoes year round. If you use plum tomatoes or whole tomatoes, break them up with a spoon before adding to the slow cooker.
Tamarind paste or puree – Tamarind adds a slight sourness to the curry. I use this Tamarind puree. If you use tamarind pulp that you have rehydrated, you may need slightly less.
This is a mild madras, made to be kid friendly. However if you would like a spicy madras, increase the chilli powder slightly.
I often make double the amount of spice mix and store half in an airtight jar for a couple of weeks, this makes it even quicker to prepare in the morning.
Nutrition
Calories: 278kcalCarbohydrates: 13gProtein: 21gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 68mgSodium: 553mgPotassium: 690mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 316IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 85mgIron: 5mg
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