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Home » Main Meals » Quick and easy beef Trinchado

Quick and easy beef Trinchado

Author: VJ Published : August 2020 Modified : April 2022 / 8 people have commented

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If you like spicy food, you are going to love this quick and easy beef Trinchado! This dish is made with tender strips of beef in a thick tomato and onion based sauce and spiced up with garlic, peri-peri and red wine. It is a popular dish in many South African restaurants, and now you can make beef Trinchado at home using my easy recipe.

A bowl of beef trinchado next to a bowl of french fries.

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Table Of Contents
  1. What is beef Trinchado?
  2. How to make easy Beef Trinchado
  3. Your questions answered
  4. Pin for later
  5. Other recipes
  6. Quick and easy beef trinchado recipe
  7. Quick and easy beef trinchado

What is beef Trinchado?

Trinchado is a spicy beef stew, and is a very popular dish in Portuguese restaurants in South Africa. It is made from tender strips of beef cooked in a tomato and onion based sauce, flavoured with peri-peri, garlic and red wine. Served as a starter, Trinchado is normally just accompanied by a crusty Portuguese roll. Served as a main meal, it would normally be served with a dish of french fries or a bowl of rice.

The main flavouring is of course the peri-peri chilli (or African birdseye chilli). This is grown in Mozambique and the rest of southern Africa. These peppers are extremely hot. They rank at 175,000 units on the Scoville scale, which is used to measure the heat of chillies. This puts the peri-peri chilli in the same league as the habanero pepper which ranks at between 100,000 and 350,000 units.. If you are interested in reading about how the heat of peppers is measured, you can find more information in this article on the Scoville scale.

It is said that trinchado was brought to South Africa by Portuguese settlers who migrated into South Africa from neighbouring Mozambique and Angola. The word trinchado is a Portuguese word meaning carved or cut up, hence the small strips of beef in the stew.

Originally, trinchado was served as a bar snack in Mozambique, and the sauce normally contained whatever meat was leftover from the main meals in the restaurant. Nowadays, trinchado is normally made with either beef or chicken, and occasionally with fish.

Make beef Trinchado 2 ways

There are two ways of making beef Trinchado, and it depends on which cut of beef you are using as to which method you use.

  • Use stewing beef, and slow-cook the beef in the tomato and onion sauce for up to 2 hours until it is fall-apart tender.
  • Use a good cut of steak, cut against the grain into thin slices. Then flash fry the beef until it is just cooked and add it to the sauce 5 minutes before you are ready to serve.

I much prefer the second method as it is so quick and easy, and takes next to no time. The second method is the recipe I am sharing today.

To get the authentic Trinchado flavour, I use Nando’s peri-peri sauce, which is made from the bird’s eye chilli, and is now sold in most countries worldwide. If you can’t get hold of a bottle of Nandos you can substitute this with any finely chopped hot chilli, or even with dried chilli flakes. If you would like to make my copycat homemade Nando’s sauce you can get the recipe from this post for peri-peri chicken.

A closeup of a bowl of beef trinchado.

How to make easy Beef Trinchado

**You can find the complete list of ingredients and full instructions for making easy beef trinchado on the printable recipe card at the end of this post.**

You will need a large frying pan with a lid, and a sharp knife for slicing the steak.

To make my quick and easy trinchado you will need between 100 and 150 grams (4 to 5 ounces) of finely sliced beef steak per person, depending on appetite. Use a good quality steak, which does not need a long cooking time, such as rump, sirloin, porterhouse or ribeye.

For making the sauce you will need onions and tomatoes and of course a bottle of Nando’s peri-peri sauce. In addition, you will need garlic, beef stock, balsamic vinegar and red wine. When deciding on which wine to use, use a wine you would normally drink – cooking won’t improve the flavour of bad wine. My philosophy on this is – if you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it.

Collage of 4 images showing steps for making the trinchado gravy.

Slice the steak into thin slices, cut across the grain, then marinate the pieces in a mixture of Worcestershire sauce and cornflour (cornstarch) for at least 30 minutes. This will help to tenderise the beef even further.

Remove the meat from the marinade (reserving any remaining marinade to add to the sauce). Fry the steak in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a hot frying pan until it is nicely browned and cooked through (image 1 above). If you are using a good quality steak, this step won’t take long. Don’t overcrowd the pan either. Cook the beef in batches. You want the steak to fry and sear nicely, not boil in its own juices.

Once all the steak has been browned, set aside and turn your attention to the sauce.

Make the sauce

Cut the onions and tomatoes into approximately 1″ pieces and mince the garlic finely. You can use ready minced garlic from a jar if you don’t have fresh garlic. Fry the onions gently, in the same pan that the meat was browned in, until they are translucent. Add another tablespoon of olive oil if there isn’t sufficient left in the pan after browning the meat. Then add the tomatoes and garlic, cover with a lid and allow to sweat gently until the tomatoes have softened. This will take about 5 minutes (image 2 above).

Add the beef stock, red wine, balsamic vinegar, Nando’s sauce (or finely minced chilli), 1 teaspoon of sugar and any remaining marinade. Replace the lid and simmer for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes have completely broken down and all the flavours have combined together (image 3 above).

Now taste for seasoning and adjust where necessary. If you find the sauce is not spicy enough, add more Nandos. If it seems a little bland, then add salt.

This next step depends on how much the sauce has thickened. If the sauce seems a little runny, mix a tablespoon of cornflour/cornstarch with 3 tablespoons of cold water, and drizzle slowly into the simmering sauce. Stir until the mixture thickens. You may not need all the cornflour mixture. The sauce should not be watery, but it should not be too thick either. I would say it should have the consistency of thick soup.

Add the meat back to the sauce. and leave to simmer for another 5 minutes (image 4 above).

Serve with crusty bread to mop up the juices, and a dish of french fries or white rice.

A closeup of a bowl of beef trinchado.

Your questions answered

Can I freeze beef trinchado?

Yes, this dish can be frozen for up to 3 months. Allow it to cool and pack into a suitable freezer container.
To use – allow to defrost in the fridge or if you are in a hurry you can defrost it in the microwave.
Once defrosted, tip into a saucepan and reheat gently until piping hot.

Can I make a larger quantity?

To make a larger quantity you should allow between 100 and 150 grams (4 to 5 ounces) of sliced beef per person. With the exception of the chilli and garlic, you can double the quantities for the sauce. For the chilli and garlic, you should increase the quantities to your own taste.

Can any ingredients be substituted?

You can substitute the following ingredients:
Worcestershire sauce – substitute with soy sauce
Nando’s peri–peri sauce – substitute with finely minced bird’s eye chilli or dried chilli flakes.
Beef stock – if you don’t have any fresh beef stock you can make your own stock using one beef stock cube dissolved in 1 cup of boiling water.
Red wine – substitute with the equivalent quantity of beef stock.
Fresh garlic – substitute with minced garlic from a jar.
Balsamic vinegar – substitute with lemon juice.

Can I make beef trinchado in advance?

Yes, you can make this dish up to 3 days in advance. Just store in a covered dish in the refrigerator. Reheat in a saucepan on the stove until piping hot.

How do I make slow-cooked beef trinchado with stewing beef?

If you would like to make this recipe as a stew, using a tougher cut of beef, here is what you should do.
Follow the recipe to marinate the beef, then make the sauce up to the point where the tomatoes have been added and softened.
Add the stock wine and spices and then add the meat, cover with a lid and simmer for 1 and a half to two hours until the meat is tender.
Top up with extra beef stock if it seems to be drying out.
Thicken with cornflour and water once the meat is cooked,
Taste for seasoning and heat – you may find you need to add extra peri-peri sauce, especially if you have added extra liquid.

Pin for later

If you would like to make beef Trinchdo, why not pin this recipe to your Pinterest board so you can make it later. Just click the image below.

Other recipes

If you enjoyed this beef Trinchado recipe you may like to try these other spicy recipes.

  • Peri-peri chicken livers
  • Creole Jambalaya
  • Pad Thai Noodles

Or why not just have a browse through my section on main meals for a bit of inspiration for your next supper.

Quick and easy beef trinchado recipe

A closeup of a bowl of beef trinchado.

Quick and easy beef trinchado

If you like spicy food, you are going to love this quick and easy beef Trinchado! This dish is made with tender strips of beef in a thick tomato and onion-based sauce, and spiced up with garlic, peri-peri and red wine. It is a popular dish in many South African restaurants, and now you can make beef Trinchado at home using my easy recipe.
Recipe by: Veronica
Starter / Main
South African
Calories 513
Prep 15 minutes
Marinade the steak 30 minutes
Cook 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 4 people
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4.86 from 7 votes

(Click the stars to rate this recipe)

Equipment

  • Sharp Knife
  • Chopping Board
  • Bowl for marinade
  • Large frying pan with lid
  • Spatula

Ingredients

Steak and marinade

  • 18 ounces / 500 grams beef steak (porterhouse, rump, sirloin, rib-eye)
  • 4 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons cornflour / cornstarch

Sauce

  • 2 large onions
  • 4 medium tomatoes
  • 4 cloves garlic minced (or use from a jar)
  • 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or lemon juice
  • ⅓ cup / 60 grams Nando's hot peri-peri sauce (or more to taste)
  • 2 cups beef stock
  • 1 cup red wine
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Other

  • 4 tablespoons olive oil for frying
  • 1 tablespoon cornflour / cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water (for thickening)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Steak

  • Cut the steak against the grain into thin slices – approximately ½ cm or ¼" thickness.
    18 ounces / 500 grams beef steak
  • Mix the worcestershire sauce and cornflour until there are no lumps and add the steak. Mix to combine and then leave for 30 minutes.
    4 tablespoons worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons cornflour / cornstarch
  • After 30 minutes, remove the steak from the marinade and fry in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over a high heat until the steak is cooked. Cook in batches so you don't overload the pan. This should take no more than 3 minutes per batch.
    4 tablespoons olive oil
  • Remove the cooked steak from the pan and set aside.

Sauce

  • Chop the tomatoes and onions into 1" (2cm) dice. Mince the garlic cloves finely.
    2 large onions, 4 medium tomatoes, 4 cloves garlic
  • Fry the onions gently in the same pan as the meat until they become translucent. Add more oil if necessary.
  • Add the tomatoes and garlic, cover with a lid and allow to sweat gently until the tomatoes have softened. Approximately 5 minutes.
  • Add beef stock, red wine, balsamic vinegar, Nando's sauce and sugar along with any leftover marinade. Replace the lid on the pan and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes until the tomatoes have completely broken down.
    2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or lemon juice, ⅓ cup / 60 grams Nando's hot peri-peri sauce, 2 cups beef stock, 1 cup red wine, 1 teaspoon sugar
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.
    salt and pepper to taste
  • If the sauce is not thickened sufficiently make a slurry with 1 tablespoon of cornflour and 2 tablespoons of water and stir into the simmering sauce until it thickens. You may not need all the cornflour mix.
    1 tablespoon cornflour / cornstarch
  • Add the browned the meat to the sauce and simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Serve with crusty bread and a dish of french fries or white rice.

Notes

You can substitute the Nando’s hot peri-peri sauce with dried chilli flakes or finely diced fresh birds-eye chilli to your own taste.
You can substitute fresh garlic with minced garlic from a jar.
If you don’t have fresh beef stock make your own using 2 beef stock cubes and 2 cups of boiling water.
Substitute red wine with the equivalent amount of extra beef stock.

Nutrition

Calories – 513kcal | Carbohydrates – 23.1g | Protein – 42.7g | Fat – 22.8g | Saturated Fat – 5.2g | Cholesterol – 114mg | Sodium – 1161mg | Potassium – 1100mg | Fiber – 3.6g | Sugar – 11.2g | Calcium – 51mg | Iron – 23mg

I am not a nutritionist. The nutrition information has been calculated using an on-line calculator, and is intended for information and guidance purposes only. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should consider calculating it yourself, using your preferred tool.

Unless otherwise stated, a cup is the standard US cup containing 240 ml. In all my recipes this cup is assumed to hold 140g of flour. For help converting other ingredients between cups, grams, ounces and other measures, see my recipe conversion calculator.
All my recipes are developed and tested at sea-level. For tips on adjusting recipes for high altitudes see my post on baking at high altitudes.
Tried this recipe?If you made this recipe I’d love it if you could leave me a comment and let me know how it went!
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Filed Under: All Recipes, Main Meals

About VJ

In my previous life, I was an IT Consultant. Now that I've swapped an office for a kitchen I have a lot more time to spend on things that interest me such as trying out new recipes. Most of my cooking is based around quick and easy meals, and you'll probably find a little South African influence creeping in due to the many years I spent there.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Ted

    29 January 2022 at 6:13 pm

    Tried this recipe this week. Just what I was looking for in a trinchado.
    Used Nandos Xhot instead of Hot so family found it too burny, but perfect for me.
    Not being an onion lover, niext time I will use less Onions, and also tinned peeled tomatoes
    This is definitely going to become a go-to meal for future

    Reply
    • VJ

      30 January 2022 at 6:57 am

      Glad you liked it. I do find that everybody’s taste is different. Unless it’s a baking recipe that needs to be precise, I always take a recipe and adapt it to my own taste. Lovely to know you’ve made it work for you 🙂

      Reply
  2. Sarah angel

    4 August 2021 at 3:24 pm

    Hi there
    Looking to make this as it looks and sound delicious but the braised steak option, would it simply be an all one pot job (after marinating the beef) but increasing cooking time or do liquid contents need to be upped please?

    Reply
    • VJ

      4 August 2021 at 3:56 pm

      Hi Sarah
      If you would like to braise the steak in the sauce, I would increase the cooking time, but keep the initial quantities the same (to start with).
      Cover the pan with a lid to prevent too much evapouration and let it simmer for about an hour and a half (or longer – depending on what cut of meat you are using – until the meat is tender).
      Keep your eye on it and top up with extra stock only if necessary. There is quite a lot of liquid in this recipe so you would only need to top up to allow for evapouration.
      I would also check for seasoning and heat towards the end of the cooking time, especially if you have added extra stock. You may find you need to up the amount of peri peri sauce.
      Also, don’t add the cornflour at the same time as the meat, thicken the sauce with the cornflour once the meat has cooked.
      Thanks for your comment – I’ll update the recipe with instructions for this longer cooking method 🙂
      VJ x

      Reply
  3. Aj

    12 May 2021 at 6:46 pm

    5 stars
    Ohh my gosh this is out of this world

    Reply
    • VJ

      13 May 2021 at 7:43 am

      So pleased you enjoyed it 🙂

      Reply
  4. Benjamin Lubbe

    21 January 2021 at 8:45 pm

    5 stars
    This recipe is delicious!

    Reply
    • VJ

      22 January 2021 at 7:28 am

      5 stars
      I’m so pleased you liked it – thanks for letting me know 🙂

      Reply

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