Serves 6
Slow-cooked, warmly spiced, and gently sweetened with apricots, this tagine transforms our premium beef chuck into something truly special.
Ingredients
2 lb Hunts Premium beef chuck (Aberdeen Angus or Wagyu), cut into 2-inch cubes
150 g dried apricots
2 large onions, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp saffron threads
2 tbsp honey
480 ml beef stock
15 g fresh coriander, chopped
15 g fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp butter
30 g sliced almonds, toasted
Salt, to taste
Method
Pat the beef cubes dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a tagine pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, brown the beef on all sides until it develops a rich, golden crust, around 8–10 minutes in total. Remove and set aside.
Add the onions and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a further minute until fragrant.
Stir in the ginger, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, black pepper and saffron. Toast for 1–2 minutes, stirring constantly, to awaken the spices.
Add the beef back to the pot along with any resting juices. Pour in the beef stock until the meat is mostly submerged. Stir through half the coriander and parsley. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low.
Cover with the tagine lid and cook gently for around 1 hour 45 minutes, checking occasionally and topping up with a splash of water if needed. The beef should become beautifully fork-tender.
Stir in the dried apricots, honey and butter. Continue cooking, covered, for a further 30–45 minutes until the apricots are plump and the sauce has thickened nicely.
Taste and adjust with salt as needed. If the sauce is too thin, simmer uncovered for a few more minutes; if too thick, loosen with a splash of water or stock.
Transfer to a serving dish and scatter with the remaining coriander, parsley and toasted almonds. Serve hot with warm flatbread or fluffy couscous to soak up the sauce.
A dish that brings real warmth to the table, comforting, fragrant, and perfect for sharing with the people you love.
