This Karachi-style Pakistani Beef Biryani is a family recipe that is like the classic Student Biryani with it's tender beef, perfect rice, and a clean balanced masala. Instant Pot instructions for the masala, and all your biryani questions (including how to save time!) answered in the post!
🔍 Quick Look: Craveworthy Easy Beef Biryani
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 1 hr 40 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 1 hr 50 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 6
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stovetop and Instant Pot
- ⭐ Difficulty: Medium
- Key to Success: Drying out the biryani masala and cooking the rice just right!
"After numerous failed attempts I can safely say I have found the best, foolproof beginners recipe on the interwebs! I can't believe how simple this recipe was yet it delivered tonnes of flavours. My aloos were intact, rice to salan ration perfect (thanks to Sarah's tip in the notes) This one is definitely a keeper." - Crystal
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Biryani from a Karachiite
I have big feelings about Biryani and I've discussed them in the context of my Chicken Biryani. A biryani is a beautifully layered meat (sometimes also potatoes) and rice dish which artfully builds flavour and when done right there is nothing else quite like it. I am also from Karachi and can assure you that the iconic Karachi Beef Biryani from Student Biryani had a decidedly clean and balanced flavor - as all biryanis should.
Fun fact: someone from the Student Biryani family reached out recently and said this recipe is actually SUPER CLOSE to theirs. WOOHOO!
This recipe, one of the oldest ones on this website, is one of my aunt's signature dishes. It is easy to make even for a beginner and so good that all these years later I have never felt the urge to change it.
Ingredients for Beef Biryani
First up we have the ones for the "korma" or biryani masala and then secondly we have the rice and layering ingredients. Read on for some key ingredient tips.
Beef Biryani Masala
The Meat. Yes, you can absolutely use veal, muton or lamb here, but no matter which meat you go with remember: you need fat. The natural fat in stewing meat like chuck is what keeps your meat from drying out AND it adds flavour to the masala. We don't need big chunks of fat, just nice marbling. This is for any Pakistani recipe be it Aloo Gosht or Biryani.
Spices: The spices you will see are very standard - salt, chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, garam masala - these alone produce an excellent biryani. If you want more heat then adjust when you taste the masala.
Biryani Layering Ingredients
Rice: basmati only, no substitutions. Thanks. I make an exception for sela rice if you are comfortable cooking with it, but I personally adore the texture of basmati.
Dahi in Dum: The yoghurt in the "dum" is an unusual move, but it adds both moisture and flavour so please don't skip it! I got this tip from one of the most incredible cooks and swear by it.
A Quick Visual Guide for Making Beef Biryani
A Biryani should be so good, so balanced, that you can eat a plate and then another without feeling ill. Achieving that is remarkably easy.
Preparing the Meat Masala
I typically use the Instant Pot to save time, but instant pot and stovetop instructions are in the post!
1.) Saute your whole spices then onions and chilies until the onions start to turn golden
2.) Now add your ginger and garlic, give it a quick whirl and then add spices and saute.
3.) Add the meat cubes and brown them.
4.) Now add in your tomatoes and pressure cook for 17 minutes for beef.
5.) Once the timer goes off, quick release.
6.) Now add potatoes and pressure cook for another 4 minutes and quick release.
7.) Add cilantro, mint, chilies and garam masala and crank up the heat
8.) Stop sauteing when the masala starts to stick and the oil rises above. Taste.
Cooking & Layering the Rice
1.) Boil your rice in it's seasoned water until almost tender. It will break with a little pressure.
2.) Layer half of it in the bottom of your pot.
3.) Add your meat masala, more coriander, mint and chilies.
4.) Now add the remaining half of your rice.
5.) Top with lemon, chilies, fried onions and your diluted coloring.
6.) Let it steam through for 25 minutes on low and then fluff and serve.
Making Biryani Faster: Timesaving Processes
Biryani takes forever because our processes take forever. I used to make the masala first and then the rice and about two hours later my biryani would be ready.
Here are my tips for making it faster and easier!
1.) Take your meat out of the fridge. Cold meat cooks slowly and unevenly.
2.) Wash and Soak your rice first: rinse your rice in water a few times until the run off looks clearer and soak in a bowl of water. Both steps are key for perfect fluffy rice.
3.) Chop your onions and tomatoes and then start on your meat masala.
4.) Use your hands off time: Whether you are cooking it stovetop or in the instant pot this is a fairly long chunk of hands off cooking and you can use this time to prep everything else from the potatoes, cilantro, mint, chilies etc. This is also when I make a raita!
Your Biryani FAQs
Simply layer the Beef Biryani in an oven safe dish, then cover it tightly with foil and put it in the oven at 300F for 25-30 minutes. Add 10 minutes if you have prepped it and refrigerated in advance. Added bonus: you can serve it right in the dish.
Folks I do this ALLLLL the time! If I have the time I prep the masala ahead of time and then cook the rice and steam it through the day of. The masala (without the potatoes and greens) is actually remarkably freezer friendly so you can always double up so you have a stash ready to go
Absolutely!
Yes, this used to be my default masala until I came up with this more flavorful but simplified chicken biryani which gives the chicken the extra moisture and boost chicken often needs.
Yes you can 🙂
Folks, sella is great for a gigantic quantity where you are concerned about rice breaking. Since it is already parcooked and sturdier it is more forgiving. However, for my money, nothing beats the soft fluffy nature of regular basmati.
If you feel your masala is dry then add a little water (and oil) and cook enough for the masala to become cohesive. The oil will give you the 'chiknai' or curry like quality and depth. A little ghee is doable too, or you can serve it with this fabulous green raita.
On Biryanis and Raitas
I am a raita girly so suffice is to say I had to share some of my favorite raitas for you to pair with this Beef Biryani. My surprise favorite: Palak Raita, but the Pudina Raita is always a huge hit too!
More Pakistani Rice Dishes
Here are some more Pakistani rice recipes for you to try!
Thank you for being here! Made this Beef Biryani? I'd love to hear your comments - share them below and do leave a recipe rating! You can also tag me on Instagram @flourandspiceblog
Craveworthy EASY Beef Biryani
Equipment
- Instant Pot OR a Wok/Karahi
- saute pan / wok with lid
Ingredients
For the Meat Masala:-
- 1 pound stewing beef cubed
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
- 6-8 whole black peppers
- 3-4 laung (cloves)
- 1 black cardamom (optional)
- 1-1.5 inch piece cinnamon stick
- 2 medium sized onions (for 1 cup sliced)
- 2 thinly sliced green chillies
- 1 ½ tbsp ginger paste (measuring spoons)
- 2 tbsp garlic paste (measuring spoons)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp red chilli powder
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ½-1 tsp red chilli flakes
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1-2 medium tomatoes diced see notes
- 4-6 dried plums or aloo bukharay. can omit and sub with lemon juice (see notes)
- 2 medium potatoes cut into 1.5 inch pieces
- 1 tsp garam masala
For the Rice:
- 2.5-3 cups rice
- 2.5-3 tablespoons salt (see notes)
For the finishing touches:
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
- ⅓ cup chopped mint (optional)
- Juice of a lemon or lemon slices
- 1 tsp of yogurt mixed with 2 tbsp water
- Rang/Yellow coloring
- 4-6 green chilies
- handful of prefried onions (optional)
Instructions
Rice
- Wash rice to drain away excess starch and then soak and set aside
- Boil the rice in salted water when your potatoes are just done so that the rice is still warm when you layer it.
Meat Masala - Instant Pot
- Heat ½ cup oil in saute mode instant pot and add your whole spices
- When they sputter and smell toasty add your onion and green chilies and cook till the edges of the onion are golden
- Now add your ginger and garlic paste, saute for a minute
- Add the spices, give it a quick mix
- Stir in the beef, sauteeing until the beef cubes are evenly browned.
- Stir in your tomatoes, dried plums (if using), and 1.5 cup of hot water.
- Pressure cook (manual) for 15 minutes, the meat should be cooked through, but not tender.
- Quick release then add the potatoes and put it back to pressure for 4 minutes.
- Quick release and then saute to dry up the excess liquid - I like to remove my potatoes here and add them back in later to avoid breaking them. The masala should be so dry that it starts to stick to the bottom and the oil rises to the top.
- Taste and adjust seasoning - you want a little salty and a little spicy - if you have not used dried plums add lemon juice at this point along with your garam masala, half your mint, cilantro, chilies.
Meat Masala - Stovetop
- Heat ½ cup oil in a large pot on medium high heat and add your whole spices
- When they sputter and smell toasty add your onion and green chilies and cook till the edges of the onion are golden
- Now add your ginger and garlic paste, sauté for a minute
- Stir in your spices and cook for another minute.
- Now add in your meat cubes, sautéing until the beef cubes are evenly browned.
- Stir in your tomatoes, dried plums (if using), and 2 cup of hot water and let the mix simmer on low until the meat is cooked through but not tender, typically 45-50 minutes.
- Now add in your potatoes and simmer till they're cooked through.
- Crank up the heat and dry out the masala, I like to take out the potatoes to avoid a potato mash scene. Cook until the excess water dries out and the masala starts sticking to the bottom.
- Add half your mint, half your cilantro, half your chilies, your garam masala and lemon (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning - you are going for bold here!
Layering
- Layer half the rice in the pot you used to cook it, then the meat masala, then scatter remaining cilantro, mint and chilies over top and follow it by the remaining half of the rice.
- Mix a little food color with yogurt and drizzle over top.
- Cover the pot and cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes.
- Use a flat spoon or a small plate and gently mix it to avoid breaking the rice and serve with raita and kachumbar.
gul says
Lovely recipie
Sarah Mir says
thank you so much!
Maryam says
If I use goat meat instead of beef for this recipe, do I have to do anything differently?