Cherry & Dennis Recipes
Indonesian Semur Beef and Potatoes
印尼甜豉油薯仔炆牛肉
Recipe overview
Indonesian semur slowly braises beef and potatoes with sweet soy and nutmeg into a mild sweet-savoury sauce for rice.
01
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 600 g sliced beef (beef chuck, cut into 4 cm pieces)
- 400 g medium potatoes (cut into 4 cm pieces)
- 150 g onion (diced)
- 4 cloves garlic (minced)
- 20 g ginger (sliced)
- 150 g tomatoes (diced)
Seasoning
- 4 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 900 ml water
Other
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
02
Tools
- kitchen knife
- cutting board
- vegetable peeler
- mixing bowl
- measuring cup
- measuring spoons
- soup pot
- wooden spoon
- tongs
- food thermometer
03
Steps
Step 1
Check and cut beef
Thaw beef in the refrigerator, inspect, cut into 4 cm pieces and pat dry.
Step 2
Prepare potatoes
Peel and cut potatoes into 4 cm pieces, rinse surface starch and drain.
Step 3
Prepare aromatics and tomato
Dice onion and tomato, mince garlic and slice ginger.
Step 4
Mix semur seasoning
Mix sweet soy, light soy, nutmeg, white pepper, salt and 900 ml water.
Step 5
Sear the beef
Heat oil in a heavy pot and sear beef in two batches until brown, about 4 minutes per batch.
Step 6
Saute the aromatics
Remove beef, cook onion 3 minutes, then garlic and ginger 1 minute.
Step 7
Cook the tomato
Add tomato and cook 3 minutes until soft and juicy.
Step 8
Return beef and add sauce
Return beef and juices, pour in semur seasoning and bring just to a boil.
Step 9
Braise beef for 60 minutes
Cover and braise on low for 60 minutes, stirring and checking liquid every 20 minutes.
Step 10
Add potatoes
Add potatoes, cover and braise 20 to 25 minutes until beef and potatoes are tender.
Step 11
Check doneness and tenderness
Beef must reach 75°C and pierce easily; potatoes should be tender but intact.
Step 12
Reduce, rest and serve
Uncover and reduce 5 minutes, turn off heat, rest 5 minutes and serve with rice.
Common mistakes
- Hard boiling toughens beef and burns the sweet sauce.
- Adding potatoes too early makes them fall apart.
Tips
Even beef pieces tenderise at the same time.
Sweet soy varies; taste only before final reduction.
