How to make Indonesian beef in a slow cooker (video)

Kate Elliott

Contributing Writer

This beef stew is a typical "dump dinner" that's usually done with stew in the slow cooker, but it's got an added twist of a cupboard-full of Indonesian spices. Ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves (to name just a few) are added right into the broth before it's mixed with a bit of cornstarch to thicken the lot up. Be sure to check out the full recipe below.

You can make the beef on its own before serving it over rice, in the more traditional manner. Or you can make the beef into a complete meal with potatoes, turnips and carrots sprinkled throughout. That is the recipe that follows, and it takes but a minute to pull together.

Cooktop Cove

Slow Cooker Indonesian Beef

10 minutes

7 hours

7 hours, 10 minutes

2 pounds stewing beef, cubed

5 potatoes, quartered

5 carrots, cut into large chunks

2 turnips, cut into large chunks

1 onion, large diced

4 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon fresh chopped ginger

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 cups beef broth

2 teaspoons cornstarch

Place all ingredients, except for the beef broth and the cornstarch, into an 8-quart slow cooker. Mix well to combine all ingredients.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine half of the beef broth and the cornstarch. Whisk to thoroughly combine and remove as many lumps as possible. Pour over the other ingredients in the slow cooker, and then add remaining beef broth. Mix to combine well.

Cover and cook on low for 7 hours, or on high for 4 hours.

Pro tip: To get even more flavor from the meat, sear it in a frying pan with a bit of oil before placing it in the slow cooker. Sweating the garlic and onions at this time too can make them even more aromatic!

Note: All slow cookers are a little bit different in temperature and calibration. This recipe was tested in Cooktop Cove's Test Kitchen using this slow cooker, which is available for purchase here.

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