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 its ultimate comfort. It takes only 10 minutes of hands-on work and the oven does the rest of the work. Perfect for busy days.

Slow Cooked Apricot Beef with Couscous

The kids are on summer vacations so business is low. Most people are traveling overseas with the family. The sun is hot! I mean hot!! Sometimes you can’t 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!!

Slow Cooked Apricot Beef with Couscous

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 weekly 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.

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 many 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 Cooked Apricot Beef with Couscous

Slow cooking saves time!

On busy days one of the dishes, I like to make is 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 with Couscous

Recipe -Slow Cooked Apricot Beef  

This slow-cooked apricot beef is absolutely heavenly. It takes only 10 minutes of hands-on work and the oven does the rest. The slow cooking makes the meat fork tender and melts in your mouth. The apricots add a rich fruity flavor and complement 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!

Slow Cooked Apricot Beef on Couscous

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.
• Halfway 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

Slow Cooked Apricot Beef with Couscous

Recipe Card Slow Cooked Apricot Beef recipe – served over Couscous

Slow Cooked Apricot Beef with 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. 

Print

Course Dinner, Lunch

Cuisine Middle Eastern

Keyword Apricot Beef with Couscous, Slow cooked Apricot Beef Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 2 hours

Total Time 2 hours 10 minutes

Servings 6 servings

Calories 293 kcal

Author Veena Azmanov

Ingredients - Choose (Metric or US Customary) below

For the Apricot Beef

• 1 kg Beef shoulder cut or similar 
• 2 tbsp All purpose flour
• 3 tbsp Olive oil
• 1/2 Onion chopped fine - about 1/2 cup
• 3 cloves Garlic minced
• 1/2 inch Ginger grated
• 2 Bay leaves
• 1 Cinnamon stick 1 large or 2 small 
• 1/2 tsp Cinnamon powder
• 1/4 tsp Cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp Sweet or hot paprika
• 1 tbsp Honey
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• 2 tbsp Apricot
• 294 grams Crushed  tomatoes 1 can
• 1 cup Water
• 1/4 cup Parsley

For the Couscous

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

Metric - US customary

Instructions

Prepare Beef

1. Preheat oven to 150 C / 300 F

2. Cut beef into large bitesize pieces. Season with Salt and pepper. Toss with flour and coat well.

3. Set aside for a few minutes.
4. Add 2 tbsp olive oil to a saute pan and brown the beef on all sides. Takes about 3 to 5 minutes.
5. Remove beef from pan and keep warm.
6. Add the remaining oil to the pan, saute onion, garlic, and ginger for two minutes.
7. Add the Bay leaves, cinnamon, and beef back to the pan. Saute for two minutes.
8. Add the can of crushed tomatoes, followed by the honey, apricot jam, and lemon juice.
9. Add parsley, one can or two cups water. Salt and pepper.
10. When it comes to a boil.
11. 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.

12. Halfway through cooking stir, check consistency. If too dry add some more water.

Prepare Couscous

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

Recipe Video - full version (detailed)

Nutrition Facts

Slow Cooked Apricot Beef with Couscous

Amount Per Serving (255 g)

Calories 293 Calories from Fat 87

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 9.7g 15%

Saturated Fat 2.3g 12%

Trans Fat 0.2g

Polyunsaturated Fat 7.2g

Monounsaturated Fat 0g

Cholesterol 48mg 16%

Sodium 173mg 7%

Potassium 0mg 0%

Total Carbohydrates 28.8g 10%

Dietary Fiber 3.2g 13%

Sugars 2.7g

Protein 21.8g 44%

Vitamin A 0%

Vitamin C 0%

Calcium 0%

Iron 0%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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.

 Love Cooking? You may like to check out some of my other quiche recipes.
Click here to see a Recipe Index of all recipes on my blog.