Beef Rendang Recipe: How to Make Authentic Indonesian Rendang at Home

This rendang recipe makes authentic Indonesian beef rendang: beef slow-cooked in coconut milk with a paste of chilli, shallots, garlic, galangal, ginger, turmeric and lemongrass until the sauce reduces to a dark, rich coating. It takes about four hours, most of it gentle simmering, and serves six. If you would rather taste it than cook it, Spice by Blake in Ubud serves a braised wagyu beef rendang that is one of its best-selling dishes.

What is rendang?

Rendang comes from the Minangkabau people of West Sumatra. It began as a way to preserve meat: cooking beef for hours in coconut milk and spices until almost all the liquid evaporates, leaving meat that keeps for days. Today every Minang family has its own rendang recipe, and it is one of the most famous Indonesian dishes, cooked for weddings, Eid and family celebrations across the country.

Rendang has stages. Cooked briefly and still saucy, it is called kalio. Cooked longer until dark and dry, it becomes true rendang. With this rendang recipe, you can stop at either stage. Learn more about the Indonesian spices that give rendang its depth.

Rendang recipe ingredients

Serves 6 | Prep 30 minutes | Cook 3.5 to 4 hours

For the beef

• 1 kg beef chuck, brisket or cheek, cut into 5 cm chunks
• 800 ml coconut milk
• 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised and knotted
• 4 kaffir lime leaves, torn
• 2 turmeric leaves, knotted (optional)
• 3 tbsp kerisik (toasted grated coconut, pounded to a paste)
• 1 tbsp palm sugar
• 1 tsp salt, or to taste

For the rendang paste

• 10 shallots
• 5 cloves garlic
• 10 to 15 large red chillies, deseeded for less heat
• 4 cm galangal
• 3 cm ginger
• 3 cm fresh turmeric, or 1 tsp ground
• 4 candlenuts
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• 2 tbsp oil

How to make this rendang recipe, step by step

1. Make the rendang paste. Blend the shallots, garlic, chillies, galangal, ginger, turmeric, candlenuts, coriander and cumin with a splash of water until smooth.
2. Make the kerisik. Toast fresh or desiccated grated coconut in a dry pan over low heat, stirring, until deep golden. Pound or blend until it becomes an oily paste. Kerisik gives rendang its nutty richness.
3. Fry the paste. Heat the oil in a heavy pot and fry the paste over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until fragrant and the oil starts to separate.
4. Add the beef and aromatics. Add the beef, lemongrass, lime leaves and turmeric leaves, and stir to coat.
5. Pour in the coconut milk. Bring to a gentle boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered.
6. Simmer slowly. Cook for 2.5 to 3 hours, stirring every 15 to 20 minutes so nothing sticks. The sauce will thicken and turn brown.
7. Add kerisik, palm sugar and salt. Once the sauce has reduced by about two thirds, stir them in.
8. Cook it down. Keep cooking and stirring for another 30 to 60 minutes until the sauce clings to the meat and the oil separates. Stop at a saucy kalio or keep going for a drier, darker rendang.
9. Rest and serve. Like any good rendang recipe, it tastes even better the next day. Serve with steamed rice and pickles.

Tips for the best rendang recipe

• Choose cuts with connective tissue. Chuck, brisket and cheek are the best cuts for a rendang recipe, turning meltingly tender with long cooking. Lean cuts become dry.
• Do not rush the paste. Undercooked paste tastes raw. Fry until the colour deepens and the oil separates.
• Stir more as it reduces. The last hour is when rendang is most likely to catch on the bottom.
• Use fresh coconut milk if you can. It gives a cleaner, richer flavour than canned.
• Make it ahead. Like many slow-cooked dishes, rendang improves overnight.

Taste rendang in Ubud at Spice by Blake

Not in the mood for a four-hour rendang recipe? At Spice by Blake on Jalan Monkey Forest in central Ubud, Chef Blake Thornley serves his own take on this classic. The menu includes:

• Braised Wagyu Beef Rendang with charred vegetables and kenari nuts, served with multigrain coconut rice
• Beef Rendang Croquettes with green chilli sambal, a crunchy snack-size take on rendang

Rendang is one of the restaurant's best-selling dishes. Read more about rendang at Spice by Blake, or explore more Indonesian dishes to try.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best beef for a rendang recipe? Chuck, brisket and beef cheek are best, because their connective tissue breaks down during slow cooking and keeps the meat tender.

How long does this rendang recipe take? About 3.5 to 4 hours in total, including 30 minutes of preparation. Most of that time is gentle simmering.

What is the difference between rendang and kalio? Kalio is rendang cooked for a shorter time, so it is still saucy. True rendang is cooked longer until the sauce reduces to a dark, dry coating.

Can I make this rendang recipe in a slow cooker? Yes. Fry the paste first, then slow cook with the beef and coconut milk for 6 to 8 hours. Finish uncovered on the stove to reduce the sauce.

Is rendang spicy? It has warmth from chilli, but it is more rich and aromatic than fiery. Deseed the chillies for a milder rendang.

Where can I eat rendang in Bali? Spice by Blake on Jalan Monkey Forest in Ubud serves braised wagyu beef rendang and beef rendang croquettes.

Cook it or taste it

Whether you follow this rendang recipe at home or let the kitchen do the work, rendang is one of the great dishes of Indonesia. Taste Chef Blake's version at Spice by Blake, Jalan Monkey Forest, Ubud.