Diary of a Chef · Just Chefn Around

Japanese Beef Curry

3 hours · 8 servings

By Diary of a Chef

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 lb boneless beef chuck roast
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 large onions (1 1/4 lb / 567 g)
• 1 russet potato (11 oz / 309 g)
• 1 large carrot (8 oz / 230 g)
• 6 cremini mushrooms (2.6 oz / 80 g)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1/2 tsp grated ginger, with juice
• 1/8 apple, grated
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, divided
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, divided
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 4 cups beef stock
• 1 tbsp tomato paste (or ketchup)
• 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 package Japanese curry roux
• 1/2 tbsp Japanese curry powder
• 180–270 g per serving cooked short-grain rice, for serving
• fukujinzuke or rakkyo, for serving (optional)

Instructions

1. 1Caramelize the onions

   In a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat, sauté the onions in oil and butter until tender and deeply caramelized — sweet, golden-brown, not burnt.

2. 2Sear the beef

   Meanwhile, in a separate pan, sear the seasoned beef until browned on the outside. Deglaze that pan with the red wine and reserve the liquid with the beef.

3. 3Build the braise

   To the onion pot: add garlic and ginger, then tomato paste; sauté about 1 minute. Add the seared beef, its juices, and the deglazing liquid; cook, stirring, about 3 minutes to burn off the alcohol. Sprinkle in the flour and stir through. Add carrots and mushrooms; pour in beef stock to just cover. Cover, bring to a boil, then skim scum and fat. Stir in grated apple, Worcestershire, and milk. Add the bay leaf.

4. 4Simmer until beef is tender

   Cover and simmer on low until the beef is tender, about 1 hour 45 minutes (up to 2 hours is standard). Check occasionally that it stays at a gentle simmer — not a hard boil.

5. 5Add potatoes

   Add the potato chunks. Cover and simmer 30 minutes more, until the potatoes are cooked through.

6. 6Dissolve the curry roux

   Take the pot off the heat. Dissolve the curry roux cubes and curry powder into the liquid, then return to a gentle simmer until the curry thickens to a glossy, spoon-coating gravy.

7. 7Serve over rice

   Ladle over cooked short-grain rice. Add fukujinzuke or rakkyo on the side if you have them.