This Uzbek Beef Plov (Beef Rice Pilaf Recipe) is just like traditional rice pilaf, but better! Tender beef, rice, and veggies are cooked together in one pot. It’s a comforting and delicious meal that’s perfect for feeding a crowd!
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time1 hourhr30 minutesmins
Total Time1 hourhr45 minutesmins
Course: Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: Russian, Ukranian
Keyword: beef, dinner, main course, main dish, rice, russian food, side dish, sides, ukranian food, weeknight dinner
1headgarlickeep whole, peel back the layer until you have one-two layers
Instructions
Before you do anything, rinse the rice until the water is clear. Then add water into the bowl and let it sit while you prep the rest of the ingredients.
Prepare the carrots by cutting them on an angle and then into thicker matchsticks, about ½ inch thick.
Cut the onions into a small dice.
Cut the beef chuck and cut into 1" pieces. Pat it dry with a paper towel (this will help with the browning of the meat). Season with salt on all sides and set aside.
Preheat a large heavy-bottomed 6-quart or larger dutch oven to high heat. Once it's hot, add in your oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the cubed meat and sear for 5-7 min over high heat until meat is browned, stirring every minute or so so it doesn't burn to the bottom of the pot. Note: it's so important to preheat the dutch oven first for the meat to brown over high heat, otherwise it will release its juices and dry out the meat.
Turn down the heat to medium, add in the onions and saute for 3-5 minutes, until they become translucent.
Add in the carrots and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes.
Add in the spices and salt, mix well to combine.
Add 6 cups of hot water.Note: The goal is for the water to be a bit saltier than you think you need, the rice will absorb a lot of the salt and will help to season it. This is when you taste and see if you’d like any additional seasoning.
Bring back to a boil, then turn the heat to low, cover with a lid and let the meat and veggies cook for 25-30 minutes.
Remove the lid, add in the rice, making sure to spread it evenly. Note: DO NOT stir the pilaf.
Add a whole garlic head into the rice, make sure to tuck it in. Note: Peel back most of the layers until you only have 1-2 layers left. Make sure to clean off any of the dirt on the bottom and you can cut off the top a bit or leave it whole. You can clean the garlic to peel easier underwater.
Cover with the lid, turn the heat to low, and cook covered for 35-45. You can open and check the rice at 35 minutes, but do not fluff the rice until you are ready to eat. If the rice still needs a few minutes, cover and cook for an additional 5-10 minutes.
Once pilaf is done, remove from heat, remove the head of garlic and set aside, and gently fluff the rice and mix it in with the veggies and meat. Serve with pickled veggies and cooked garlic cloves. You can also add a side salad too.