Lemongrass Coconut Braised Beef (Printable)

Tender beef simmered with lemongrass, coconut milk, and mushrooms for a rich and aromatic main dish.

# What You Need:

→ Beef

01 - 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
02 - 1 tsp kosher salt
03 - 1/2 tsp black pepper

→ Aromatics & Sauce

04 - 2 tbsp vegetable oil
05 - 2 stalks lemongrass, trimmed and lightly smashed
06 - 1 large onion, thinly sliced
07 - 5 cloves garlic, minced
08 - 2-inch piece fresh ginger, sliced
09 - 2 red chilies, sliced
10 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
11 - 1 tbsp brown sugar
12 - 1 can (14 oz) coconut milk
13 - 1 cup beef broth
14 - Zest and juice of 1 lime

→ Vegetables

15 - 10 oz cremini or shiitake mushrooms, quartered
16 - 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

→ Garnish

17 - Fresh cilantro, chopped
18 - Sliced scallions
19 - Lime wedges

# How To Make:

01 - Season beef cubes evenly with salt and pepper on all sides.
02 - Heat vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sear the beef until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.
03 - In the same pot, add onion, lemongrass, garlic, ginger, and chilies. Sauté for 3–4 minutes until fragrant and onions are softened.
04 - Stir in fish sauce and brown sugar; cook for 1 minute to dissolve sugar.
05 - Return the beef to the pot. Add coconut milk, beef broth, and carrots. Bring to a simmer.
06 - Reduce heat to low, cover, and braise for 1 hour.
07 - Add mushrooms, stir, and continue to braise covered for another 1–1.5 hours, until beef is very tender.
08 - Remove lemongrass stalks. Stir in lime zest and juice. Adjust seasoning if needed.
09 - Serve hot, garnished with cilantro, scallions, and lime wedges.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The coconut milk creates this velvety sauce that clings to every single piece of beef
  • Your whole house will smell incredible while it simmers away
  • Its one of those dishes that tastes even better the next day
02 -
  • Pat the beef really dry before searing or you wont get that gorgeous brown crust
  • Remove the lemongrass stalks before serving, nobody wants to bite into woody stalk
  • The sauce will seem thin at first but it thickens up beautifully as it reduces
03 -
  • Trim any really large pieces of fat from the beef before searing
  • Taste the sauce before serving and adjust with more fish sauce or lime as needed

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