Beef Biryani Recipe

Introduction:

Beef biryani is one of the most flavorful and heavy biryani recipes in South Asian cuisine. This biryani is especially popular with those who enjoy a strong taste, deep aroma, and dum-style spicy flavors. Beef meat is naturally rich and juicy, and when layered with long-grain basmati rice and served with dum, it tastes truly restaurant-style.

The special thing about beef biryani is that the beef absorbs all the flavors of the spices after being slow-cooked. This dish is very popular for feasts, weekends, family dinners, or any special occasion. Making good beef biryani isn't difficult—all you need is the meat texture, the spice balance, and the rice to be perfectly boiled.

In this detailed recipe guide, you'll learn how to tenderize the beef, develop the masala dum-style, and keep the rice fluffy and separated. If you want to make authentic, hotel-style, or Karachi-style strong beef biryani at home, this recipe is just for you.

Ingredients:

1. Beef Masala Ingredients

• Beef (with bone or mix cut) 1 kg

• Onions 3 medium (thin sliced, golden fried)

• Tomatoes 3 medium (finely chopped)

• Yogurt 1 cup (whisked)

• Ginger garlic paste 2 tablespoons

• Green chilies 4 slit

• Red chili powder 2 to 3 teaspoons

• Turmeric ½ teaspoon

• Coriander powder 1 teaspoon

• Cumin powder 1 teaspoon

• Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon

• Bay leaves 2

• Cloves 4

• Cinnamon stick 1

• Black cardamom 1

• Black pepper 6 to 7

• Salt as taste

• Lemon juice 2 teaspoons

• Fresh mint ½ cup

• Coriander ½ cup

• Oil ½ cup

2. Rice Ingredients

• Basmati rice 1 kg (30 to 40 minutes soaked)

• Bay leaf 2

• Cardamom 3-4

• Cinnamon 1 stick

• Cloves 4

• Salt for boiling

• Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon

3. Layering Ingredients

• Fried onions ½ cup

• Mint or coriander handful

• Saffron/milk color 2 tablespoons warm milk

• Kewra water 1 teaspoon

• Lemon slices (optional)

Step-by-Step:

1. Prepare the Beef Masala:

Heat oil in a heavy pot or pressure cooker.

Fry the sliced ​​onions until golden brown; add half for the masala and reserve the other half for layering.

Now add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.

Add the beef to the pot and fry well for 8 to10 minutes until the color changes to brownish.

Add red chili, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt. Fry for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and reduce the heat to medium. Let them soften.

When the tomatoes dissolve, add the yogurt and mix.

Now add the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, black cardamom, black pepper, and slit green chilies.

There are two options from here:

(1. Option) Pressure cooker: Cook for 25 to 30 minutes.

(2. Option) Normal pot: Slow-cook for 50 to 60 minutes until the beef is tender.

When the meat is tender and the oil has risen to the top, add the fresh mint, coriander, and lemon juice.

Let the masala simmer on low heat for 5 minutes to deepen the flavor.

The beef masala is now ready-thick, rich, and aromatic.

2: Boil the Rice:

Boil water in a large pot.

Once the water is hot, add the bay leaf, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and cumin seeds.

Now add the soaked basmati rice.

The rice should be boiled until it is 80% cooked-meaning the rice should be slightly hard inside.

Gently strain the rice so that the grains do not break.

3. Layering the Biryani:

Take a heavy-bottomed pot; it should be perfect for the dum.

Brush a little oil on the bottom.

First, spread a layer of beef masala.

Place a layer of rice on top.

Now sprinkle the fried onions, mint, coriander, saffron milk, and kewra water.

You can drizzle a little ghee if desired.

The top layer should be rice. Add fried onions and a little milk coloring to it.

Now prepare the pot for the dum.

4. Dum Cooking (Final Flavor Step):

Close the lid of the pot tightly. If the lid is loose, seal it with aluminum foil.

Cook the biryani on high heat for 5 minutes.

Then cook the dum on low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Do not open the pot during the dum-otherwise, steam will escape and the rice will not become fluffy.

When the dum is finished, mix the biryani gently to prevent the rice from breaking and to distribute the spices evenly.

Tips:

1. Be spure to slow-cook the beef.

Beef meat is a little hard, so the longer it slow-cooks, the softer and juicier it will become. If using a pressure cooker, 25 to 30 minutes is ideal.

2. Don't boil the rice more than 80%.

If the rice is overcooked, it will break into pieces. The secret to fluffy biryani is half-cooked rice.

3. Fried onions double the flavor.

If you use ready-made fried onions from the market, crush them slightly and add them to the masala-the flavor intensifies.

 5. Keep the lid tightly closed during the dum cooking.

If steam escapes, the biryani will become dry. Aluminum foil is the best choice.

 6. Keep the spices a little thick.

If the beef masala is too watery, the rice will become soggy. Dum biryani is always made with slightly dry spices.

 Conclusion:

Beef biryani is a royal, flavorful, and aromatic dish that is a must-have for every special occasion. The rich flavor of beef, the long-grain texture of basmati rice, the sweetness of fried onions, and the steamy aroma of dum make biryani a perfect combination.

This recipe is detailed, authentic, and comes with a step-by-step guide so anyone, from beginners to expert cooks, can easily make the perfect beef biryani. You can serve it with raita, salad, lemon slices, or simple onion rings.