This is my mother-in-law’s beef bhuna gosht recipe. It’s her specialty, a dish friends and family request for year after year at dawats and Eids. The meat is fall-apart tender, tangy, flavorful, and utterly satisfying.
Traditionally, for this recipe, the meat is marinated, seared with spices and then left to simmer gently on a stovetop over low heat. But instead of the slow-cooked method, I, like my mother-in-law, use an Instant Pot or pressure cooker.
My process involves marinating beef with a few simple ingredients, sautéing it, and then adding cooked and pureed tomatoes. After that, it’s just pressure cooking and a couple of finishing steps and additions.
Unlike a lot of bhuna gosht recipes out there, this one doesn't involve onions (or the tears that come with them). Also, you can customize the spice level to your preference.
If you're looking for another delicious, fall-apart meat recipe, try my aloo gosht.
Pre-cooking notes and tips
- You can use coriander powder instead of dry roasting and crushing the seeds if that’s all you have, but use less. Around 2 teaspoons of powder per tablespoon of seeds. Roasting the seeds, however, makes a very noticeable difference in flavor.
- Fresh ginger and garlic are a must. Store-bought pastes will not give the same taste.
- The spice level in this dish is meant to be moderate, but chilies can vary a lot in heat, even when they’re the same kind. Fresh or dried, their strength depends on where they come from and how they’re processed. For example, the crushed red pepper flakes I buy from a desi store are much milder than those I once picked up from Costco. All that to say, your chilies may be spicier or milder than mine, so treat the quantities I've shared as a guide and adjust to your own taste.
- The best cuts of meat for this dish are chuck and boneless short ribs. You can also make do with top round or bottom round cuts. These will turn out tender but might be a bit drier than the first two. Stewing beef cubes from the grocery store work fine too.
- You can use lime juice instead of lemon, but reduce the quantity. For every tablespoon of lemon juice, use ¾ tablespoon of lime. Lime tends to be more punchy and tangy.
- I use Roma tomatoes exclusively. Some tomatoes, such as beefsteak, are sweeter and don’t have the acidity required for this dish to taste right.
- Use the chubby-looking Pakistani chilies (moti mirch) if you can find them. If not, go with any fresh chilies you prefer. I use Thai or bird’s-eye chilies. The amount may need tweaking based on how hot your chilies are.
Serving ideas
I serve beef bhuna gosht with hot naan, roti, or sometimes parathas if I'm in the mood for an all-out feast. Since it isn’t saucy like a curry or salan, rice doesn’t pair as well. Raita, homemade imli chutney, and kachumber make for lovely accompaniments.
And that's a wrap!
A parting piece of advice → Make a big batch!
This one never lasts long at the table, and everyone goes back for seconds. Don’t forget to leave your comments and ratings if you give it a try.
Happy cooking - Nelo
Beef Bhuna Gosht
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook: 1 hour 25 minutes
Optional Marination: 30 minutes
This is my mother-in-law’s beef bhuna gosht recipe. It’s her specialty, a dish friends and family request for year after year at dawats and Eids. The meat is fall-apart tender, tangy, flavorful, and utterly satisfying.
Servings: generous servings
Ingredients
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds - aka sabut dhaniya
- 5 cloves garlic
- 1 inch piece of ginger - peeled
- ¾ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes - aka kutti lal mirch
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder - aka haldi
- ¾ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt - regular white salt
Other Ingredients
- 1 pound (500 g) boneless beef - cut into 2-inch pieces (Note A)
- 3 medium (300 g) tomatoes - I use Roma tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons (75 ml) cooking oil - any neutral oil you prefer
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro - aka coriander/dhaniya
- 1.5 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 small green chilies - finely chopped. I use Thai/Birds eye chilies
Instructions
- Have all ingredients prepared and ready before you start cooking. Tip: Use the checkboxes next to each ingredient to make sure you've got everything ready.
- Dry roast coriander seeds in a small pan over medium-low heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until fragrant. Crush coarsely and transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Blend/crush ginger and garlic into a paste (use as little water as possible). Transfer to the same large mixing bowl. Add the remaining marinade ingredients, then the beef. Mix well to coat the beef evenly. Cover and marinate 30 minutes to 2 hours. Marination is optional, but the flavor improves with it.
- In the meantime, slice the tomatoes in half lengthwise and trim off stem-side ends to make peeling easier later. Place them in a saucepan/pot with ¼ cup water over medium-high heat. Cover and cook 10 to 15 minutes or until the tomatoes are soft and their skins/peels loosen.
- Use tongs to remove and discard skins. If they resist or if a lot of pulp comes away with them, cook a few more minutes. Blend peeled tomatoes into a smooth puree. Set aside.
- Set your Instant Pot/electric pressure cooker to saute mode (you can also use a stovetop pressure cooker). Heat oil and add the marinated beef. Cook until the color changes all over. Add tomato puree and mix well.
- Lock the lid securely into place. Make sure the steam release valve is set to the sealing position. If using an electric pressure cooker/Instant Pot, select the High Pressure setting and cook for 27 minutes. When using a stovetop pressure cooker, heat until the cooker reaches full pressure. Lower the heat just enough to maintain gentle pressure, then begin timing 27 minutes. (See the notes section below for the stovetop method)
- Once the cooking is complete, allow the pressure to release naturally for 15 minutes, then carefully do a quick release to release any remaining pressure (always follow the safety instructions of your pressure cooker). Open the lid cautiously to avoid steam burns.
- Transfer beef and liquid to a wide pan or wok. Cook uncovered over medium heat until the liquid nearly dries up. Stir frequently.
- Add garam masala, chopped cilantro, and lemon juice. Stir just until well combined. Turn off the heat.
- Finally, mix in chopped green chilies (adjust the quantity to taste). Serve with naan, roti, or paratha. If you try this recipe, I'd love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen. Leave your rating and comment below.
Ingredient & Recipe Notes
Note A: Beef – The best cuts for this dish are chuck and boneless short ribs. Top round and bottom round cuts can be used and will be tender but slightly drier. Pre-cut stewing beef cubes are also an option. If using smaller pieces of beef than mentioned, pressure cook for 25 minutes instead of 27.
Note B: Stovetop Method – Use a pot, preferably non-stick. Saute beef in oil until it changes color, add the tomato puree, and bring to a simmer. Cover, then reduce the heat just enough to maintain a very gentle simmer. Cook for 1½ to 2 hours and stir every few minutes so the beef doesn't stick to the pan. Add small amounts of water (as and when needed) during this time if the liquid dries out before the beef is very tender and the oil begins to separate. All the other steps stay the same.
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