Roxanne’s Beef Curry Recipe

Roxanne and I met during our college years at St. John’s University (Queens campus) circa 2002. We were part of the Guyanese Students’ Association (GSA) in which we both served on the executive board. GSA was a cultural organization that helped Guyanese students on campus connect and network. We planned community service events as well as cultural celebrations. It was a wonderful time in our lives. Many of us have moved on to become lifelong friends just as Roxanne and I have.

After Roxanne and I became mothers we started to bond in a new way. Our daily conversations now involve discussing how much sleep we didn’t get and what we’re cooking for dinner. Turns out Rox and I have very similar cooking styles and expectations of our food. She doesn’t like watery curry and is serious about properly prepping meat. We even realized that we cook many dishes the exact same way due to our families originating from the same region of Guyana. So when people emailed asking for a beef curry recipe, I knew I could trust Roxanne in giving me an accurate recipe. I don’t eat beef and have never cooked it, but I am confident that Roxanne wouldn’t lead us wrong. She was so kind to spend time taking photos of the process as well which I truly appreciate because it is time consuming. Thank you Roxanne for sharing your sharing your story and recipe!

Meet Roxanne

I learned to cook this beef curry from my mom. When I was younger, a lot of my time was spent chatting with her and observing her while she cooked. As I got older, I started helping her in the kitchen, which led to me adapting a lot of her recipes and techniques. My mom is no longer physically with me, but making her dishes and carrying on the traditions she has started keeps me close to her.

My love for food, curry especially, was what prompted me to learn how to make this dish. It brings back memories of when we lived in Guyana (Plaisance, East Coast Demerara). I remembered my mom would usually cook it on weekends, because the meat would be freshest from the butcher. Similarly, I try to make it on weekends, especially for dinner, because the curry is so robust, and comforting. It is also a popular dish with my family, especially my 5 year old son.

What makes this beef curry so tasty is the ratio of curry powder to masala, and the amount of garlic used; I tend to add a little extra masala and garlic to this dish because the meat is a little denser and doesn’t absorb seasonings as readily as leaner meats such as chicken or fish. Once the meat starts cooking and becomes tender, the flavors from the spices and other seasonings come together to create a rich, savory curry with a gravy that is just right, not too thin, and not too thick.

No pressure cooker? No problem

If you do not have a pressure cooker or are too scared to use the one you have, Roxanne suggests cutting the meat into smaller pieces and bounjaying in spices, then pour boiling water over the meat with enough water to cover the meat. When the contents in the pot comes to a boil, cover the pot and cook on medium for 45 – 1 ½ hours depending on the tenderness you desire.