This Moroccan Beef Stew Is Bursting With Vegetables

As a London-based Moroccan chef, I consider myself well-versed in both European and Moroccan cuisines, and as much as I love the more traditional approaches to each, I have a lot of fun blending those approaches. It's exactly what I’ve done in the beef stew recipe here, which is multi-layered and heady without being too heavy. This interpretation of beef stew combines Western stewing techniques with some of my favorite flavors of Moroccan cuisine: tender chunks of beef stewed with fresh collard greens, chickpeas, and fragrant ras el hanout. It's not a dish that's purely Moroccan or European, but a mixture of both.

Why This Moroccan Stew is Not a Tagine

To be clear, this recipe is a stew, and not a tagine. Both a tagine and a stew are slow-cooked braises, and there can be a lot of overlap with the terms. For someone less familiar with Moroccan food, they might assume that a recipe for beef seared and simmered with Moroccan spices like ras el hanout should be labeled a tagine. But for Moroccans, this recipe would never be considered a tagine, and not just because it isn’t prepared in the unique cone-shaped pot known as a tagine (it's very common for Moroccans to prepare tagines without using the classic clay tagines at home). This stew wouldn't be considered a tagine because tagines made in Morocco follow rules that aren’t used in this recipe, a few of which I’m listing here: 

• A tagine starts with an onion and garlic base that’s sautéed in olive oil and/or butter.
• For meat-based tagines, larger bone-in cuts of meat are used.
• Meat in a tagine is never browned. 
• Ras el hanout is only used for a particular type of tagine called mrouzia (lamb with raisins, almonds, and honey), and would not be paired with beef in a tagine.
• Tomato paste is only used in tomato-based tagines.
• A tagine that contains vegetables, like collard greens used here, would typically be cooked the m'qualli way (with ground turmeric and ground ginger) and never with ras el hanout.

Of course, "rules" are made to be broken, and one might argue that some recipes that defy one or more of the above could still be considered a tagine. In the case of this recipe, though, I'm breaking so many rules and adopting so many others from Western cooking that I wouldn't call this recipe a tagine, and I'm pretty sure most others who are knowledgeable about Moroccan cuisine would agree.

Steps for a Flavorful Moroccan-Style Beef Stew

So why break from Moroccan tagine traditions, and apply Moroccan flavors to a stew? It’s simply because I love this combination of flavors. To me, this recipe is a classic stew to which I’ve added ras el hanout for an aromatic Moroccan flair, and its success comes down to a few flavor-building and texture-enhancing techniques:

• Brown the meat: While in a Moroccan tagine, the meat would not be browned, for my stew I brown the beef chunks on all sides over high heat to form a caramelized crust before braising. The reason why tagines don’t brown the meat likely stems from functionality: Tagines are traditionally clay pots set over lower heat to ensure the pot isn’t damaged. The tool itself limited browning and made it a less important element of that style of cooking.
• There’s also the fact that you get more tenderness when you don't brown (because browning dehydrates the surface of the meat), and there's so much flavor-building happening elsewhere in most moroccan tagines (spices, preserved lemon, etc.) that the deep roasted flavors of the Maillard reaction could be deprioritized over tenderness and a more clean, clear flavor profile. But in this stew, I love how the broth is enriched with a deep, savory flavor from browning the meat, and how that flavor pairs with the fragrant spices of ras el hanout.
• Create a flavorful aromatic base: This stew’s aromatic base is where the majority of its flavor comes from. The ras el hanout spice blend, tomato paste, and garlic are added to sautéed onions to briefly infuse into the rendered beef fat. Blooming the spices in fat before adding the liquid allows the full complexity of the ras el hanout to come through, spreading its fat-soluble floral, earthy, and warming flavor molecules throughout. I also add just a teaspoon of honey to balance the intense flavor from the beef and spices, and simmer a cilantro bundle with the stew to enhance its Moroccan flavor profile. 
• Simmer slowly: This is a key cooking step for any meat stew. A slow, gentle simmer ensures that the beef chuck’s tough connective tissue has a chance to break down and soften until fork-tender. I chose to simmer on the stovetop, avoiding the need to lift a big, heavy pot of hot liquid in and out of the oven (though you could braise it in a moderately-low oven, if desired). Just make sure to periodically check on the pot, and adjust the burner setting to maintain a simmer, while avoiding scorching the bottom.
• Add bright flavor and heartiness with fresh vegetables and beans: The final additions liven up the stew and make it more filling: fresh collard greens and canned chickpeas. They’re added after the meat has simmered for hours, and cooked just long enough to wilt and tenderize the greens while retaining some freshness. I love how these final vegetable additions balance the richness of the stew while keeping it hearty.

Ras el Hanout: The Key to This Stew's Flavor

At the heart of this deeply aromatic stew is ras el hanout, a signature Moroccan spice blend. The name ras el hanout translates to "head of the shop" in Arabic and refers to the best spices a spice merchant has to offer. Although there is no single recipe for ras el hanout—as each spice vendor has their own variation—it typically includes a mix of ground cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, and sometimes even rose petals or saffron. This aromatic and complex blend gives this stew welcome depth and warmth.

While once difficult to find outside North Africa, ras el hanout is now more widely available at spice shops and some large-scale grocery stores throughout the US, bringing its special mix of fragrant and earthy notes to home kitchens everywhere, though it's also easy to make your own. 

This stew’s exciting combination of hearty beef, warm spices, and bright fresh vegetables make it a great meal for any time of year, but I especially enjoy it during the shoulder season leading into spring. I recommend serving it for family gatherings and special occasions with bread, couscous or even rice.

Pat beef dry with paper towels and season all over with salt. In a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of beef and cook, turning occasionally (wait until beef releases easily from the bottom of the pot with a gentle lift), until well browned on all sides, 8 to 10 minutes; transfer to a large plate. Repeat with 1 tablespoon (15 ml) oil and remaining beef.

In now-empty Dutch oven or pot, reduce heat to medium and add remaining 2 tablespoons (30 ml) oil. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and just beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add garlic, tomato paste, and ras el hanout and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Return seared meat to pot and add stock or broth, 1 teaspoon salt, and honey and stir to combine.

Add cilantro bundle, increase heat to medium-high and bring to a boil, then cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer, adjusting heat as needed to maintain a gentle simmer, until beef is fork-tender, 2 to 2 3/4 hours; stir every 30 minutes or so to prevent sauce from sticking to bottom of pot.

Stir in collard greens and chickpeas. There should be enough liquid to partially cover the ingredients; if necessary, add a little more stock or water. Cover pot and simmer until collard greens are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Off heat, discard cilantro bundle and season to taste with salt, if needed. Using a ladle or wide spoon, skim any excess fat from top of stew. Sprinkle individual portions with chopped cilantro, if desired, and serve with bread or cooked couscous or rice.

Special Equipment

Large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot

Notes

Ras el hanout, a Moroccan spice blend, can be made from scratch or purchased from most grocery stores with a good spice section (even major mass-market spice companies like McCormick make it).

Make-Ahead and Storage

The stew can be cooled down and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 2 months.