Ghanaian beef stew is a tomato-rich stew of tender beef, peppers, onions and warming aromatics, usually served with rice or another filling side. The sauce gets its depth from browning the beef and cooking down the tomato mixture; family and regional versions vary in heat, oil and seasoning, so you can adjust those to suit your table.
Ingredients
- 2½ lb (1.13 kg) beef chuck, cut into roughly 1-inch (2.5 cm) cubes
- 4 medium ripe tomatoes, about 1½ lb (680 g), cored and roughly chopped
- 1 medium red bell pepper, about 7 oz (200 g), stemmed and seeded
- 2 medium yellow or red onions, about 10½ oz (300 g), divided
- 1 Scotch bonnet or habanero chile, stem removed; use half for milder heat
- 4 garlic cloves, about ½ oz (14 g), peeled
- 1-inch (2.5 cm) piece fresh ginger, about ¾ oz (20 g), peeled and sliced
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower oil
- 3 tbsp (48 g) tomato paste
- 1 cup (240 ml) low-sodium beef stock
- 1 tsp (2 g) mild curry powder
- 1 tsp (1 g) dried thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1½ tsp (9 g) fine salt, divided, plus more to taste
- ½ tsp (1 g) ground black pepper
- Up to ½ cup (120 ml) hot water, as needed to loosen the stew
Instructions
- Prepare the beef and vegetables, 25 minutes. Pat the beef dry with paper towels; dry surfaces brown more readily than damp ones. Season it with 1 teaspoon of the salt and the black pepper. Roughly chop one onion and put it in a blender with the tomatoes, bell pepper, chile, garlic and ginger. Blend until mostly smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides if needed. Chop the second onion and keep it separate. If you do not have a blender, finely chop the sauce ingredients or pulse them in batches; a slightly textured sauce is fine.
- Brown the beef, about 10 minutes. Heat the oil in a heavy Dutch oven or other large, deep pot over medium-high heat. Working in two or three batches so the pieces have room, brown the beef on several sides, about 3–4 minutes per batch. Transfer browned pieces to a plate. The beef need not cook through at this stage. If the pot becomes very dark, lower the heat; browned bits add flavor, but scorched bits can make the sauce bitter.
- Soften the onion and toast the spices, about 7 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the chopped second onion and cook, stirring, until soft and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the curry powder and thyme for 30 seconds, then add the tomato paste and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring so it darkens slightly without sticking. If the pot looks dry, add a spoonful of water rather than letting the paste burn.
- Cook down the tomato mixture, 25 minutes. Pour in the blended tomato mixture carefully; it may splatter against the hot pot. Stir well and scrape up the browned bits. Bring it to a gentle simmer, then cook uncovered for 25 minutes, stirring every few minutes, until the sauce has thickened, lost its raw tomato smell and looks glossy. Keep the heat moderate: a steady simmer reduces the sauce without scorching its base.
- Simmer the beef until tender, 60 minutes. Return the beef and any juices on the plate to the pot. Add the stock, bay leaf and remaining ½ teaspoon salt; stir to coat the meat. Bring the stew back to a gentle simmer, cover with the lid slightly ajar and cook over low heat for 60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. If the sauce becomes so thick that it catches on the bottom before the beef is tender, add hot water a few tablespoons at a time. The finished beef should be easy to pierce with a fork. Check a thick piece with a food thermometer: USDA FSIS gives whole cuts of beef a safe minimum internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) followed by a 3-minute rest.
- Finish and rest, 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaf, taste the sauce and adjust the salt or chile level if needed. If the stew is thinner than you like, simmer it uncovered for a few minutes, stirring often; if it is too concentrated, mix in a little hot water. Take the pot off the heat and let it stand for 3 minutes before serving.
Tips
- Choose a cut suited to slow simmering. Chuck has enough connective tissue to become tender in the sauce. Stew beef is convenient, but pieces can come from different cuts and may need more time; keep simmering gently until fork-tender, adding a little water if necessary. Very lean steak can turn dry and firm during the longer cook.
- Control the heat with the chile. Scotch bonnet is traditional in many versions and brings a distinct fruity heat. Habanero is a practical substitute with similar intensity. For a gentler stew, use half a chile, remove its seeds, or leave it out; the stew will still have plenty of flavor from the ginger, garlic and pepper.
- Give the sauce time to reduce. A watery, sharp-tasting sauce usually needs more uncovered simmering before the beef goes back in. Stir more often as it thickens, especially near the end, and use a heavy pot if available. Avoid turning the heat high to rush reduction, since tomato sauce can scorch before it thickens evenly.
- Keep salt flexible. Stock varies in saltiness, and the sauce reduces as it cooks. Starting with the measured amount and tasting near the end is more reliable than adding extra salt early. If you only have regular salted stock, begin with less salt and adjust at the finish.
Serving Suggestions
Spoon the stew over steamed white rice, which catches the tomato sauce well, or serve it with boiled yam, boiled potatoes, ripe plantain or Ghanaian-style rice and beans. It also works with banku or boiled cassava if those are familiar staples at your table. For a balanced plate, add a simple side of sliced cucumber and tomato, steamed greens or lightly cooked cabbage. The stew is rich and savory, so a fresh, crisp side is a useful contrast rather than another heavily seasoned dish.
Bring the pot to the table with extra chile or a small bowl of sliced raw onion for diners who want a sharper, hotter finish. If serving a group, keep the stew warm over very low heat and stir from the bottom occasionally; add a splash of water if it tightens while waiting. For a meal-prep lunch, portion the beef and sauce over rice only after the stew has cooled enough to handle.
Variations
Make it milder or hotter. The chile amount is easy to tailor. Start with half a Scotch bonnet for moderate heat, or omit it and offer sliced chile at the table. Avoid blending a whole chile if you are unsure of its strength; adding more heat later is easier than trying to dilute an overly spicy pot.
Use a different tomato base. If ripe fresh tomatoes are unavailable, substitute one 28-ounce (794 g) can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained slightly, and blend them with the other sauce ingredients. Canned tomatoes can taste more consistently tart and concentrated, so cook the sauce until it tastes rounded and add water only if it becomes too thick. Tomato paste still helps give the stew its deep color.
Adjust the spice profile. Curry powder and thyme make this version approachable, but proportions and spice choices differ across households. You can reduce the curry powder, add ½ teaspoon (1 g) smoked paprika for a subtle smoky note, or leave out the thyme. These are flavor choices rather than required additions; keep the tomato, onion, pepper and chile base as the backbone of the stew.
Add vegetables near the end. For a more substantial one-pot meal, stir in 1½ cups (225 g) sliced carrots during the last 25 minutes of simmering, or add 1½ cups (225 g) cubed potatoes for the last 30 minutes. Check that the vegetables are tender before serving. Adding them too early can make them break down during the long beef simmer and thicken the sauce more than intended.
Storage and Reheating
Let the stew stop steaming heavily, then transfer it to shallow, covered containers and refrigerate it within 2 hours of cooking. It keeps for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. The sauce may develop a layer of oil on top as it chills; that is normal, and you can stir it back in or lift off some of it before reheating. For longer storage, freeze in meal-size airtight containers for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.
Reheat only the portion you plan to eat, either in a saucepan over medium-low heat or in a microwave-safe dish. Stir occasionally so the center heats evenly, and add a tablespoon or two of water if the sauce has become very thick. USDA FSIS recommends reheating leftovers to 165°F (74°C); check the center with a food thermometer, particularly when heating a large portion. Avoid repeatedly cooling and reheating the entire pot, since individual portions are easier to handle safely and retain their texture better.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Ghanaian beef stew ahead?
Yes. The stew can be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated once cooled in shallow containers. Its flavors settle as it rests, and it reheats well on the stove with a small splash of water if the sauce has thickened. Reheat it to 165°F (74°C) before serving.
Why is my stew too sour?
Tomatoes differ in ripeness and acidity, and a sauce that has not cooked down can taste sharp. Simmer it uncovered a little longer, stirring often, until it thickens and the raw tomato edge fades. If it is already thick, stir in a few tablespoons of water and continue simmering gently rather than adding sugar automatically; taste again before changing the seasoning.
Can I cook the beef without browning it first?
You can put the seasoned beef straight into the sauce, but browning adds a deeper roasted flavor and leaves savory browned bits in the pot. If you skip that step, begin the sauce in a clean pot and expect a somewhat lighter flavor. Keep the simmer gentle and make sure the beef reaches the safe temperature and tender texture described in the instructions.
Can I use ground beef instead of cubed beef?
Yes, but the result will be a quicker, more minced-meat sauce rather than the same tender chunks. Brown 2½ lb (1.13 kg) ground beef in batches, drain excess fat if needed, then make the sauce and simmer the beef in it for about 20 minutes. Ground beef must reach 160°F (71°C), the USDA FSIS safe minimum, as checked with a food thermometer.
What can I use instead of fresh tomatoes?
Use a 28-ounce (794 g) can of whole peeled tomatoes, drained slightly, as noted in the variations. If using canned crushed tomatoes, start with about 3 cups (720 ml) and blend them with the pepper, onion, ginger, garlic and chile. The texture will be smoother, and the flavor may be more concentrated, so judge thickness and salt near the end.
Related
- Ghanaian Stew Recipe with Chicken and Tomatoes
- Ghanaian Pancake Recipe: Thin, Spiced Breakfast Pancakes
- Ghanaian Red Red Recipe: Rich Bean Stew with Plantain
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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes
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