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Gina presenting a finished rendang recipe — dark, glossy beef on a banana leaf with steamed rice on a wooden table, looking extremely pleased with herself

Gina's Rendang — Low, Slow, and Worth Every Single Minute

Real Minangkabau rendang, made at home: slow-cooked beef in a bold scratch-built spice paste and coconut milk, cooked until every last drop of liquid is gone and the result is something unforgettable.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 lbs beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes well-marbled; short rib also works well
  • 2 cans full-fat coconut milk 13.5 oz each
  • 3 stalks lemongrass white and light-green parts only, bruised and tied in a knot
  • 6 kaffir lime leaves fresh or frozen; center rib removed
  • 1 piece cinnamon stick about 2 inches
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil such as canola or sunflower
  • 1 tsp salt plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar palm sugar preferred; brown sugar works
  • 3 tbsp unsweetened desiccated coconut dry-toasted in a pan until golden, optional but traditional
  • 6 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 5 cloves garlic peeled
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
  • 1 inch fresh galangal, peeled and sliced or 1 tsp ground galangal if unavailable
  • 1 inch fresh turmeric, peeled or ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • 4 dried red chilies, soaked in hot water 10 minutes adjust quantity for heat preference
  • 2 fresh red Fresno or cayenne chilies roughly chopped

Method
 

  1. Combine the shallots, garlic, ginger, galangal, turmeric, soaked dried chilies, and fresh chilies in a blender or food processor with 2 tablespoons of water. Blend to a smooth paste, scraping down the sides as needed.
  2. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the spice paste and cook, stirring frequently, for 8–10 minutes until it darkens slightly, smells fragrant, and begins to stick to the bottom of the pot.
  3. Add the lemongrass knot, kaffir lime leaves, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Stir to combine with the paste and cook for another 2 minutes.
  4. Add the beef cubes and stir well to coat every piece in the spice paste. Cook for 3–4 minutes, turning the beef, until lightly seared on the outside.
  5. Pour in both cans of coconut milk and add the salt and sugar. Stir to combine. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low.
  6. Simmer uncovered, stirring every 20–30 minutes, for approximately 2.5 to 3 hours. The coconut milk will gradually reduce — first it will look like a thin curry, then a thick sauce, then it will begin to look almost dry.
  7. When most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture starts to look greasy (the coconut oil separating out), stir more frequently. This is the critical final stage — the spices and remaining coconut fat will begin to fry the beef. Stir gently and continuously for 10–15 minutes until the beef is deep brown and coated in a dark, almost dry spice crust.
  8. If using toasted desiccated coconut, stir it in during this final frying stage.
  9. Taste and adjust salt. Remove the lemongrass, cinnamon stick, and cloves before serving. Serve over steamed jasmine rice.

Notes

Don't rush the final drying stage — the moment the coconut milk is gone and you see the oil separating is exactly when the flavor deepens most dramatically. Stir gently to avoid shredding the beef.