Slow Cooked Apricot Beef recipe with Couscous

Slow Cooked Apricot Beef Recipe on Couscous

This Apricot Beef recipe is absolutely heavenly. Slow cooked until fork tender with tomatoes and spices. A little zing of apricot jam takes it to it’s ultimate comfort. It takes only 10 minutes hands on work and the oven does the rest of the work. Perfect for busy days.

The kids are on summer vacations so business is low. Most people are traveling over seas with the family. The sun is hot! I mean hot!! Sometimes you cant’ step outdoors. Like 40 C. Yep!! Yet; we love summer – don’t we?
My Aadi loves summer because there is no school. He’d rather be playing soccer or basketball than sit doing homework. You know! Boys!!

Recently I’ve been a bit bored in the kitchen cooking because usually I always check with the kids what they feel like for lunch or dinner and that helps me plan my week menu. So while it helps the kids make the decisions; it also mentally prepares them that they have to eat what they ask me to cook.

But these last few days I decided not to ask them but to try and make things that I had on my recipe books. Recipes that I formulated in my head that I had still to try.

Video – Slow Cooked Apricot Beef with Couscous

Apricot Beef

The first time I tried apricot beef was on my travel to Istanbul. It was a gorgeous Tagine dish with lots of apricots.  A bit too much apricots but I loved the idea very much. When I came back I remember I had experimented with a few chicken and apricot variations. Well back then I use to eat more chicken to stay healthy lol. But you know beef is not so bad if you eat it less often and try the lean mean cuts.

Slow cooking saves time!

On busy days one of the dishes, I like to make are the slow cooked recipes. Why? Because I plan ahead and organize my day ahead of time. So on days when I have to spend cake decorating I choose slow cooked dishes or one pot baked casserole type menu. The best thing about slow cooked meals is that you do less work the oven or stove top or the slow cooker does the cooking for you.

So while it tastes longer to  cook, slow cooked dishes can be a time saver. You can make them way ahead of time and you spend less hands on time. A big blessing for me. Often I will get that Bolognaise recipe simmering on the stove top before I start cake decorating. When it’s time for the kids to get back from school; I boil the pasta and that’s it. Lunch is ready.

Slow Cooked Apricot Beef Recipe

This slow cooked apricot beef is absolutely heavenly. It takes only 10 minutes hands on work and the oven does the rest. The slow cooking makes the meat fork tender and melts in your mouth. The apricots adds a rich fruity flavor and complements the beef and spices really well.
Here I am serving it with couscous. In fact I am using the instant version here. I’ve shown you how I make my couscous so it comes out light and fluffy.  You could serve it with white rice too!

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Finally the recipe – Slow Cooked Apricot Beef on Couscous

!Tools

• Oven safe Saute Pan
• Spatula
• Chopping Board and Knives
• Oven

For the Apricot Beef

• Beef – 1 Kg  Shoulder cut or similar
• All Purpose Flour – 2 tbsp
• Olive oil – 3 tbsp
• Onion chopped fine – 1/2 medium about 1/2 cup
• Garlic – 3 medium -minced
• Ginger – 1/2 inch grated
• Bay leaves – 2 nos
• Cinnamon Stick – 1 large or 2 small
• Cinnamon Powder 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Powder – 1/4 tsp
• Sweet or hot Paprika – 1/2 tsp
• Honey – 1 tbsp
• Lemon Juice – 1 tbsp
• Apricot – 2 tbsp
• Crushed  Tomatoes – 1 can
• Water – 1 cup
• Parsley – 1/4 cup

For the Couscous

• Instant couscous – 2 cups
• Olive oil – 1 tbsp
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Boiling water – 4 cups
• Cranberries or fresh pomegranate pearls – 1/2 cup
• Parsley chopped – 1/2 cup

Method:

Prepare Beef

• Preheat oven to 150 C / 300 F
• Cut beef into large bite size pieces. Season with Salt and pepper. Toss with flour and coat well.
• Set aside for a few minutes.
• Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a saute pan and brown the beef on all sides. Takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
• Remove beef from pan and keep warm.
• Add the remaining oil to the pan, saute onion, garlic and ginger for two minutes.
• Add the Bay leaves, cinnamon and beef back to the pan. Saute for two minutes.
• Add the can of crushed tomatoes, followed by the honey, apricot jam and lemon juice.
• Add parsley, one can or two cups water. Salt and pepper.
• When it comes to a boil.
• Place pan covered in the oven and cook at 150 C / 300 F for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the beef is fork tender.
• Half way through cooking stir, check consistency. If too dry add some more water.

Prepare Couscous

• Place couscous in a bowl. stir in the olive oil well
• Add salt to the boiling water.
• Pour boiling water over the couscous. Cover with a lid and let sit for 20 minutes
• After 20 minutes fluff with a fork
• Add cranberries or pomegranate and parsley

Recipe Card Slow Cooked Apricot Beef recipe – served over Couscous

To serve

Place a generous amount of couscous on the place and top with the beef as shown in the video. sprinkle with parsley and serve.  I skipped the parsley cause the kids don’t fancy.

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