Roza’s Tas Kebab (Middle Eastern Beef Stew)

Name: Roza’s Tas Kebab (Middle Eastern Beef Stew)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 3 h
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients: 3 to 3 ½ pounds beef chuck; 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns; 1 tablespoon allspice berries; 2 bay leaves; ¼ cup tomato paste; 3 tablespoons unsalted butter; 2 tablespoons kosher salt; ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; Rice Pilaf

User Reviews

5.0

12 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
3 hrs
Total Time
3 hrs 20 mins
Servings
6 servings
Calories
695 kcal
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Persian, Turkish, Armenian

Roza’s Tas Kebab (Middle Eastern Beef Stew)

Megan Mendez

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Tas Kebab (tas kebap) is a simple spiced beef stew with Persian, Armenian, and Turkish origins. This is my late aunt's recipe for a family favorite! It's extremely easy to make, and ideal served over a bed of rice pilaf.

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Ingredients

Servings

3 to 3 ½ pounds beef chuck cubed into 1 ½-to-2-inch pieces
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon allspice berries
2 bay leaves
¼ cup tomato paste
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
2 tablespoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Rice Pilaf for serving

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Instructions

Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large saucepan. Set aside.
Rinse the beef with cold water. Drain and add to a large pot. Cover with cold water by about 2 inches. Heat over medium-high heat, skimming impurities off the surface. When the water starts to boil, remove from the heat, drain into a colander and rinse the beef with cold water.
Wrap the peppercorns, allspice berries, and bay leaves in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it with kitchen string.
Wipe the pot clean, add the beef back along with 6 cups of boiled water, the butter (if using), tomato paste, salt, cinnamon, and the spice bundle. Return to high heat and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer covered for about 2 ½ hours or until the beef is easily cut with the side of a spoon (my aunt would cook it until the meat was actually falling apart so aim for significantly longer than fork tender).
Serve the tas kebab spooned over rice pilaf in wide serving bowls or plates.

Notes

Beef chuck is our preferred cut of meat for this recipe. Many supermarkets also sell pre-cubed nondescript “beef stew meat” which will work fine also.
The original recipe used 3 pounds of beef, but there is enough liquid that you can increase the amount of beef to 3 ½ with plenty to spare. I have included a range in the recipe since it's quite flexible.
½ with plenty to spare. I have included a range in the recipe since it's quite flexible.
My aunt never used a spice bundle for the spices. When she would make tas kebab we would pick the peppercorns and allspice berries out of the stew as we would eat it. Although there is a nostalgic memory in doing that, using the spice bundle is much easier for diners. I've made the dish both ways to compare results, and both taste the same. Use the spice bundle method. You'll thank me.
Tas kebab is best when made a day or more ahead of time and reheated prior to serving, as this allows the flavors to develop. If you make this in advance, leave the spice bundle in the stew until right before you are ready to serve. Then remove the spice bundle, squeeze out excess juices, and discard before serving.
Beef chuck is our preferred cut of meat for this recipe. Many supermarkets also sell pre-cubed nondescript “beef stew meat” which will work fine also.
The original recipe used 3 pounds of beef, but there is enough liquid that you can increase the amount of beef to 3 ½ with plenty to spare. I have included a range in the recipe since it's quite flexible.
My aunt always added butter to her tas kebab, and it adds good flavor and richness, however we sometimes omit it when we need to make it dairy free. It still tastes fantastic, which is why I have noted the butter as optional.
This recipe uses kosher salt (aka cooking salt, kitchen salt, coarse salt outside of the US). If you are using table salt, definitely scale down the salt as that is a saltier type of salt! The type of salt will make a big difference in how salty your food tastes, so keep that in mind.

Nutrition Information

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Calories 695kcal (35%) Carbohydrates 10g (3%) Protein 42g (84%) Fat 54g (83%) Saturated Fat 24g (120%) Monounsaturated Fat 1g Cholesterol 175mg (58%) Sodium 1292mg (54%) Potassium 279mg (8%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 1g (2%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 6servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 695 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	695kcal	35%
Carbohydrates	10g	3%
Protein	42g	84%
Fat	54g	83%
Saturated Fat	24g	120%
Monounsaturated Fat	1g	5%
Cholesterol	175mg	58%
Sodium	1292mg	54%
Potassium	279mg	6%
Fiber	4g	16%
Sugar	1g	2%