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Beef Trinchado: Portuguese-Inspired South African Stew Recipe

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4.1 from 2 reviews

Beef Trinchado is a rich and flavorful Portuguese-inspired South African stew featuring tender cubes of rump steak slowly simmered in a robust sauce made with red wine, beef stock, tomato paste, and cream. Enhanced with aromatic spices like bay leaves, garlic, and chillies, this comforting dish is perfect served with chunky chips or fresh white bread to soak up the luscious sauce.

  • Total Time: 1 hour 50 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

Beef and Marinade

  • 1 kilogram rump steak, sliced into large cubes (or porterhouse, rib-eye, sirloin, fillet steak)
  • 4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

Liquid and Sauce

  • 300 millilitres prepared beef stock (made with 2 oxo beef cubes dissolved in 300ml water, no additional salt)
  • 300 millilitres red wine
  • 1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
  • 2 teaspoons sugar
  • 150 millilitres cream

Vegetables and Aromatics

  • 150 grams onion (red, white or brown, finely chopped)
  • 2 red chillies, finely chopped (adjust to taste)
  • 4 teaspoons garlic paste (or 5-6 fresh minced garlic cloves)
  • 3 bay leaves

Fats and Seasonings

  • 30 grams butter, divided
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons plain flour
  • Salt, to taste
  • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. Prep the meat: Use a sharp knife to cut the steak into large, bite-sized chunks.
  2. Marinate the beef: In a large bowl, combine the cubed meat with Worcestershire sauce, stirring well to coat all pieces. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  3. Prepare the sauce mixture: In a jug or mixing bowl, combine beef stock, red wine, tomato paste, and sugar. Stir until well mixed.
  4. Brown the beef: Heat half the butter (15g) and half the oil (1 tbsp) in a heavy-based pan over medium-high heat until sizzling. In batches, fry the steak cubes until browned on all sides to develop deep flavor. Remove the browned beef and set aside in the marinade bowl.
  5. Sauté onions and chillies: Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining butter (15g) and oil (1 tbsp) to the pan. When hot, add chopped onions and chillies. Fry for about 5 minutes until onions are soft and translucent, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking.
  6. Add garlic: Stir in the garlic paste and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  7. Add flour: Sprinkle the flour over the onions and stir continuously for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan to avoid heavy sticking.
  8. Deglaze and simmer sauce: Pour the prepared sauce mixture into the pan, stirring to loosen any browned bits stuck to the bottom which adds flavor. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly.
  9. Add bay leaves: Stir in the bay leaves to infuse the sauce.
  10. Simmer beef in sauce: Return the browned beef along with any marinade liquid back into the pan. Stir well to combine. Cover tightly with a lid and simmer gently over low heat for 1.5 hours, stirring every 10-15 minutes and adding a splash of red wine or water if needed to maintain enough liquid.
  11. Season: Taste and adjust salt carefully (usually no more than 1/2 teaspoon needed due to salted stock). Add freshly ground black pepper.
  12. Add cream and finish: Stir in cream and heat through for 1-2 minutes until warmed and saucy. Adjust cream quantity to your preferred sauce consistency.
  13. Rest: Remove from heat and let the Trinchado rest, covered, for 10 minutes before serving.
  14. Serve: Enjoy the stew with chunky chips or fresh white bread rolls, perfect for mopping up the rich sauce.

Notes

  • Use sturdy cuts of beef like rump, sirloin, or rib-eye for best results; avoid very lean cuts that may dry out.
  • Adjust the amount of chilli according to your heat preference and type of chilli used.
  • Deglazing the pan to lift those browned bits is a key flavor-building step—don’t skip it.
  • Simmer gently on low heat to tenderize the beef slowly without drying out the sauce.
  • Check liquid levels regularly during simmering and add wine or water to prevent burning or sticking.
  • The cream added at the end enriches the sauce; you can reduce or increase based on desired richness.
  • Leftovers reheat well and often taste even better the next day.
  • Author: Monica
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
  • Category: Stew
  • Method: Stovetop
  • Cuisine: South African, Portuguese-inspired

Find it online: https://monicarecipes.com/beef-trinchado-portuguese-inspired-south-african-stew-recipe/