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You are here: Home / Recipes / Daring Cooks / BEEF BRAISED IN ROOIBOS TEA WITH SWEET POTATOES

BEEF BRAISED IN ROOIBOS TEA WITH SWEET POTATOES

November 14, 2011 By Manu 39 Comments

Beef Braised in Rooibos Tea with Sweet Potatoes

Sarah from Simply Cooked was our November Daring Cooks’ hostess and she challenged us to create something truly unique in both taste and technique! We learned how to cook using tea with recipes from Tea Cookbook by Tonia George and The New Tea Book by Sara Perry.
I have always been more of a coffee drinker, like the majority of Italians (and when I say coffee, I mean espresso!), but I have started to appreciate tea more and more since meeting my husband.  So I now often have a nice hot “cuppa” in the afternoon.  That said, I had never even thought of cooking something savoury with it!  So, when I saw this month’s challenge I was very fascinated with the idea.  I immediately decided on this stew because I knew my family would like it… who doesn’t like a warm and comforting beef stew?  And this had all the right flavours that made it sound like a great dish: spices (cinnamon), tanginess (orange peel, ginger and vinegar), sweetness (sweet potatoes and honey) and then Rooibos Tea.  Rooibos tea is an herbal infusion from South Africa.  It is honey-flavored and light colored.  The great thing about it is that it is also caffeine-free and it tastes delicious, which makes it great for the whole family.  You can drink it like normal tea (either with milk or with a hint of lemon), but after using it for this dish I think it goes great with orange, cinnamon and honey and it would be great as a cold and refreshing beverage for the summer!  Enjoy!

 

Recipe Source: Tea Cookbook by Tonia George and The New Tea Book by Sara Perry and the Daring Cooks.

Ingredients (Servings: 4-6)
1¼ pounds (600 gm) brisket or stewing beef (I used chuck steak), trimmed and cut into 2-inch (5 cm) chunks
2 tablespoons (30 ml) (18 gm) (⅔ oz) flour
1 tablespoon (15 m) oil (I used extra virgin olive oil)
2 onions, sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 tablespoon (15 ml) (8 gm) tomato concentrate
5 Rooibos tea* bags (or 2 tablespoons loose tea leaves)
1 quart (1 litre) just-boiled water
5 tablespoons (75 ml) red wine vinegar
4 strips unwaxed orange peel, pith removed (the peel of about half an orange)
2 cinnamon sticks
2 inches (5 cm) fresh ginger, peeled and sliced (I used ¾ tbsp ginger paste)
4 small sweet potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced (I used ¾ of a very big sweet potato)
¾ cup (175 ml) mild honey (optional) (I used ¼ cup)
Cilantro (coriander) leaves, to garnish
Salt and pepper, to taste

* Rooibos tea can be substituted in this recipe by black tea, or try another dark herbal tea such as one containing licorice.

Season the beef with pepper and coat in the flour.  Heat the oil in a large stock pot and then brown the beef on all sides.

Add the onions and celery.  Put on a tight fitting lid and let them soften for ten minutes.

Add the garlic and tomato concentrate and cook for one minute.

Meanwhile, place the tea bags in a heatproof pitcher and pour the hot boiled water over them.  Allow to steep for four minutes.

Then remove the tea bags (or strain out the tea leaves) and pour the tea into the stock pot.  Add the red wine vinegar, orange peel, cinnamon sticks, and ginger.

Lower the heat and cover.  Let the stew simmer for 1.5 to 2 hours or until the beef is tender.

Add the sweet potatoes, honey (if using), and season with salt and pepper. Cook for a further 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are soft.

Beef Braised in Rooibos Tea with Sweet Potatoes

Serve with some steamed rice and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Beef Braised in Rooibos Tea with Sweet Potatoes

Beef Braised in Rooibos Tea with Sweet Potatoes

Beef Braised in Rooibos Tea with Sweet Potatoes

Beef Braised in Rooibos Tea with Sweet Potatoes

Beef Braised in Rooibos Tea with Sweet Potatoes

Beef Braised in Rooibos Tea with Sweet Potatoes

To see all my fellow Daring Cooks posts… click here!

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Filed Under: Daring Cooks, Mains, Meat Tagged With: beef, braised, cinnamon, Daring Cooks, dinner, honey, main dish, mains, orange, rooibos tea, stew, sweet potatoes, tea

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Comments

  1. Giulietta | Alterkitchen says

    November 14, 2011 at 9:27 pm

    Manu, this recipe is really unusual, but really interesting! Great job!

    Reply
  2. Liz says

    November 14, 2011 at 10:47 pm

    Woe, you rocked this challenge, Manu!!! Gorgeous photos…and as I sit here drinking my morning tea, I’m wondering why I’ve never used it in any dishes…great idea here.

    Reply
  3. Laura @ The Art of Cooking Real Food says

    November 14, 2011 at 11:15 pm

    Wow – this recipe is so interesting. I have never thought to braise meat in tea, and the combination of beef with oranges and cinnamon along with the spices in the tea…sounds so absolutely delicious. Thanks for sharing it!

    Reply
  4. Nuts about food says

    November 14, 2011 at 11:26 pm

    This is not the first time I have heard of rooibos tea, although I have never had it. I am however very intrigued by cooking with tea, I can imagine what an extra layer that would add to a dish. This is a wonderful recipe. Brava Manu!

    Reply
  5. Sandra says

    November 14, 2011 at 11:53 pm

    Beautiful presentation and delicious recipe. I’m a fan of Rooibos tea and I’d love to make this for my family. Buzz!!!

    Reply
  6. [email protected] says

    November 15, 2011 at 12:15 am

    You did an awesome job on this challenge, it looks delicious. This really opens up the door on the possibilities of tea in cooking. As always your pictures do tempt as well as inspire-yum!

    Reply
  7. Jill Colonna says

    November 15, 2011 at 12:21 am

    Manu, the meat looks like it melts in the mouth – what an amazing dish. Ever since I went to South Africa, I’m a Rooibos fan, too. I love how you can add a dash of milk to it and pass it off as normal tea without the caffeine and have all the healthy benefits to it as well as a great taste. I’ve used it in macarons but never thought about savoury. LOVE IT! This recipe is for keeps.

    Reply
  8. Katherine Martinelli says

    November 15, 2011 at 12:35 am

    This was my first month participating in Daring Cooks and it was so fun! I almost made this – it looks so good! Yours came out just beautiful!

    Reply
  9. Kiri W. says

    November 15, 2011 at 2:31 am

    How interesting! I’ve never had tea-braised beef, and I just got to try rooibos tea for the first time on Saturday. 🙂 This sounds like a really interesting recipe, and the pictures are simply gorgeous!

    Reply
  10. The Garlic Press says

    November 15, 2011 at 2:40 am

    Your photos are beautiful and your beef looks positively mouth-watering!

    Reply
  11. Sandra's Easy Cooking says

    November 15, 2011 at 4:29 am

    Stunning photos and very interesting but YUMMY recipe! I would also say that looks like meat would melt in my mouth! Fantastic post!!!

    Reply
  12. Susie Bee on Maui says

    November 15, 2011 at 4:39 am

    Beautiful photos! I did the beef braise also and really liked the flavors.

    Reply
  13. Jesica @ Pencil Kitchen says

    November 15, 2011 at 8:29 am

    This is one of the most special recipes i’ve seen….

    Reply
  14. Rhonda says

    November 15, 2011 at 11:02 am

    I went to South Africa this summer and was introduced to Rooibos tea for the first time. I fell in love with it, I love the vanilla undertones. This is my first month doing daring cooks, I really enjoyed it! Buzzed ya too!

    Reply
  15. JasmyneTea says

    November 15, 2011 at 12:38 pm

    The only cooking with tea I’ve ever done is smoking quail in lapsang souchong, but I think your dish would be more to my taste, it looks delicious!

    Reply
  16. mjskit says

    November 15, 2011 at 12:46 pm

    I am a tea drinker, but I’m not a fan of Rooibos tea. Not enough of a kick, in fact – no kick and a little too flowery for me. Of course I found that out after buying a box. Pretty ingenious using this tea with beef – I can see that. Love the addition of the orange,cinnamon, ginger and then the sweet potatoes! I think you out did yourself with creativity on this one. WOW! Now I know how to use that Rooibos tea in the pantry. 🙂

    Reply
  17. Suz says

    November 15, 2011 at 12:53 pm

    Wow, such vibrant photos! The sauce looks so rich and the meat meltingly tender. I can’t wait to try this recipe.

    Reply
  18. raquel says

    November 15, 2011 at 12:55 pm

    Rooibos beef looks like the perfect hearty meal.

    Reply
  19. daksha says

    November 15, 2011 at 2:40 pm

    Both these are looks lovely.

    Reply
  20. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says

    November 15, 2011 at 4:06 pm

    What a creative recipe using rooibos tea of all things! :O It looks so full of flavour and vibrant Manu! 😀

    Reply
  21. Kiran @ KiranTarun.com says

    November 15, 2011 at 5:14 pm

    I am intrigued with the use of rooibos tea as infuser. How does it tastes?

    Drool-worthy recipe nonetheless 🙂

    Reply
  22. Sawsan @ chef in disguise says

    November 15, 2011 at 7:38 pm

    Manu, you made the most beautiful dish I have seen in this challenge. I remember seeing it on the forum and thinking…wow! that looks so good!
    I really wanted to try it but couldn’t find the Rooibos tea anywhere.Ironically I found it yesterday so I will be trying this soon

    Reply
  23. Nami | Just One Cookbook says

    November 15, 2011 at 8:53 pm

    What a gorgeous looking dish Manu! The color of this dish is simply amazing. It’s so beautiful and I guess it’s probably from the tea. I’ve seen a couple of dishes using tea on other blogs and I’m truly impressed by everyone’s creation!

    Reply
  24. Divya says

    November 16, 2011 at 4:42 am

    Gorgeous dish with really vibrant colours!

    I’m glad to see that you’re using tea in your dish. I think it’s something that still a very new concept for most people, but I can see it becoming more popular. Why use water when you can use tea rich in anti-oxidants? 🙂

    Rooibos works well in vanilla flavoured desserts too – just saying. Maybe something to inspire you!

    Reply
  25. visda says

    November 16, 2011 at 5:13 am

    Wow! This is gorgeous. I love rooibos tea, I love stews, what a great way to cook. I have eaten stews that are made in tea in restaurants before but I have never made it myself. It’s great that you have explained the technique and details of how to do so. Love to make that soon. Just one hint from a tea drinker like me: please use loose leaf teas and not the tea bags. Tea bags are just the left overs. You’ll see how much better they taste and the aroma is totally different too.
    Thanks for sharing this gorgeous recipe and your wonderful pictures. It makes me very hungry.:-)

    Reply
  26. Miss Nirvana says

    November 16, 2011 at 7:08 am

    I love your presentation on the plate with the rice. You did an awsome job on this challenge.

    Reply
  27. Reem | Simply Reem says

    November 16, 2011 at 11:36 am

    Manu this looks so gorgeous!!!!
    God I would have not thought of using tea like this… Great job gal!!!
    And the pictures rock………
    God I should get this for my dinner tonite…..

    Reply
  28. Juliana says

    November 16, 2011 at 12:29 pm

    Wow Manu, this beef with tea sounds so interesting…although I learned that in Chinese cuisine they smoke with tea leaves…anyway, I am sure that must taste as good as it look. Beautiful plate.
    Hope you are having a wonderful week and thanks for this delicious dish 🙂

    Reply
  29. Lilla says

    November 17, 2011 at 3:24 am

    Che bei colori Manu, e che aspetto invitante, me ne mangerei un bel po’ proprio adesso… unica riserva: una volta ho provato il rooibos ma ricordo che mi aveva un po’ deluso… ora mi viene il dubbio che fosse di cattiva qualità o troppo vecchio perché mi fido molto del tuo gusto… si merita un’altra chance allora 🙂 Baci

    Reply
  30. Inma Miranda says

    November 17, 2011 at 3:38 pm

    Your beef stew looks luscious, I am hungry now!!!, I am going to try your recipe soon.

    Reply
  31. Sarah, Simply Cooked says

    November 19, 2011 at 11:27 pm

    Beautiful photos of your finished dish. Is that a tumbler of chilled rooibos in the background? I’m glad you enjoyed the stew – thanks so much for taking part in this month’s challenge!

    Reply
  32. Tiffany says

    November 21, 2011 at 4:35 am

    As you know, no beef for me, but I wanted to leave a comment anyway… 1) because your photo is stunning! and 2) because it is SUPER creative to braise meat in tea! 😀

    Reply
  33. Lina says

    December 4, 2011 at 8:02 pm

    Hey there,

    I think you forgot to put in the part where you put honey into the pot 🙂

    Awesome recipe by the way, my stew is boiling away right now 🙂

    Reply
    • Manu says

      December 6, 2011 at 12:09 pm

      Awww I hope you liked the stew!!!! :-)))))

      Reply
  34. pat says

    November 29, 2012 at 5:29 am

    Hi !! one question – can I relpace beef for pork ?

    Reply
    • Manu says

      November 29, 2012 at 7:07 am

      Hi Pat! I haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why not! 🙂

      Reply

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  1. Food | Pearltrees says:
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