Slow Pulled Beef with Sweet Paprika and Garlic

A rich, slow cooked pulled beef made with topside roast, sweet paprika, garlic, tomatoes, carrot, and capsicum until tender enough to fall apart into the sauce.

A large pot of beef cooked low and slow has a way of carrying a week. The sauce settles into the meat, the garlic softens, the paprika brings warmth, and by the end you have something rich, tender, and deeply useful.

This is the kind of recipe that earns its place when life is busy and the freezer needs filling. It stretches beautifully across several meals, reheats well, and can be served in all sorts of ways depending on what the day calls for. Spoon it over creamy polenta, serve it with mash or rice, or tuck it into soft bread rolls. It is rustic, generous food, made for real life, which sits beautifully within The Grace Table’s warm, practical, family-friendly style.

Prep: 25 min · Cook: 420 min · Serves: 12 · Cuisine: Mediterranean · Category: Dinner

Ingredients

Slow Pulled Beef with Sweet Paprika and Garlic

• 3.3 kg topside roast of beef
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 1 red capsicum, sliced
• 1 yellow capsicum, sliced
• 4 carrots, sliced or diced
• 8 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 x 400 g tins diced tomatoes
• 5 fresh tomatoes, chopped
• 3 cups beef stock or water
• 3 bay leaves

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C fan forced.
2. If needed, cut the roast into 2 or 3 large pieces so it fits comfortably in the pot and cooks more evenly.
3. Pat the beef dry with paper towel.
4. Season all over with the salt and cracked black pepper.
5. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large heavy-based pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
6. Sear the beef well on all sides until deeply browned.
7. Remove the beef from the pot and set aside.
8. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot.
9. Add the onions, capsicum, and carrots. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes until softened.
10. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
11. Stir in the tomato paste, sweet paprika, smoked paprika, oregano, and cumin. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
12. Add the tinned tomatoes, fresh tomatoes, beef stock or water, and bay leaves. Stir well and bring to a gentle simmer.
13. Return the beef to the pot, nestling it into the sauce.
14. The liquid should come about one-third to halfway up the meat. Add a little extra water if needed.
15. Cover tightly with a lid.
16. Transfer to the oven and cook for 6 to 7 hours, checking after 5 1/2 hours.
17. The beef is ready when it pulls apart easily with two forks and has no tight resistance in the centre.
18. Remove the beef from the pot and place it on a tray or large board.
19. Discard the bay leaves and any large pieces of fat or sinew.
20. Shred the beef with two forks.
21. If you would like a smoother sauce, use a stick blender to blend the sauce in the pot until mostly smooth.
22. Return the shredded beef to the sauce and stir well so the meat is fully coated.
23. If the sauce is too thin, place the pot on the stove uncovered and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes to reduce slightly.
24. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Notes

For a roast this size, cutting it into 2 or 3 large pieces is very helpful.

Topside is a leaner cut, so it needs gentle, slow cooking and enough liquid in the pot.

If the sauce reduces too much during cooking, add 1/2 to 1 cup extra stock or water and continue cooking covered.

Do not rush it. If the beef still feels firm, it is not ready yet.

Blending the sauce is optional, but it gives a richer, smoother finish that coats the beef beautifully.

Letting the shredded beef sit back in the sauce for 10 minutes before serving helps it stay moist and absorb more flavour.

This is excellent served over creamy polenta, mashed potato, rice, or tucked into soft bread rolls.

Serving Suggestion

If you love rich, slow cooked beef, my Red Wine Beef Casserole with Creamy Polenta is another beautiful comfort food recipe for cooler nights.

Spoon over Creamy Polenta, Our Family Milho Method

Serve with mashed potato

Serve with rice

Tuck into soft bread rolls

Spoon over roasted potatoes or sweet potatoes

The Grace Table Tip

Freeze the pulled beef in a mix of family portions and smaller containers. It makes dinner far easier on tired days and gives you several different meals from one big batch.

Cool completely, portion into airtight containers, and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge and reheat gently until piping hot.