For busy cooks, this Super Easy Slow Cooker Moroccan Beef is a flavoursome alternative to a usual boring beef casserole. The recipe perfectly combines the exotic flavours of Morocco with the sweetness of some dried fruit. I’m sure this Moroccan Beef recipe will become a favourite.

If you like the Moroccan combination of cinnamon, paprika, turmeric and cumin, then you may also like my Moroccan Carrot Salad.

 

Ingredients Shopping

The best cuts of beef for a long cooking casserole or stew are the cheaper and tougher cuts like Chuck (Blade), Shin, Brisket or Skirt steak.

A couple of equally delicious alternatives to the currants, sultanas or raisins are quartered dried apricots or dates.

When buying dried fruit I always look for sulphate free. Sulphites are added as a preservative or to retain the colour, especially in apricots. Sulphites have the ingredient list numbers of 221 to 227 and can cause respiratory or skin reactions. I personally get an itchy rash on my neck whenever I unknowingly eat anything containing sulphites.

I also search for dried fruit that doesn’t have “vegetable oil” in the ingredient list. This is often added to keep the fruit separated, however, the processing of vegetable oil makes it a product best to avoid if you are wanting to put the best ingredients into your body. To avoid these added “nasty” ingredients I stock up on organic dried fruit when it is on sale. I know the online shop at Changing Habits sells organic dates that naturally do not have sulphites or vegetable oil.

 

Cooking Tips

This Moroccan Beef recipe can also be cooked on the stovetop by sauteing the onions in a tablespoon of oil, adding the spices and then browning the meat before adding the liquid. Simmer on low for at least 2 hours before checking if the meat is tender. This method gives even more flavour but is not as convenient as simply putting all the ingredients in the slow cooker. If set to “low” the slow cooker can usually be left unattended overnight or during the day. Check the manufacturer’s instructions for your particular slow cooker.

Of course, sweet potato takes less time to cook than the beef. So, if you don’t want your sweet potato to be very soft, then add it halfway through the cooking time. Personally, I like the way the soft sweet potato starts to thicken the casserole. Stir gently if you want to keep the pieces in tack.

I usually serve any beef casserole with cooked spinach, green beans, Brussel sprouts, or zoodles (spiralized zucchini noodles). If you want something to mop up the yummy juices then try basmati, brown or cauliflower rice, or mashed potatoes.