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Meat, Africa and overseas

Beef tibs with injera

Beef tibs are an Ethiopian dish of beef cubes seared fast in spiced butter, with onions, peppers, garlic and rosemary. This recipe serves 4, takes 40 minutes, is rated easy, and costs €4.60 per person. The key to success is searing the meat in small batches over very high heat, so it browns instead of releasing its juices.

Tonight, an Ethiopian bistro favorite, tibs, beef cubes quickly seared in spiced butter, with onions, peppers and rosemary.

Beef tibs with injera
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€4.60
Calories per person
530 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Summer, Spring

Tibs are small cubes of beef seared over high heat in butter flavored with berbere, served with onions and peppers that stay crisp. The meat comes out browned on the outside, juicy on the inside, with a gentle heat that wakes up your taste buds without overwhelming them. Rosemary adds a note you don't often find in classic Ethiopian cooking, but it works beautifully with beef.

This is a dish for an evening when you want a break from your usual stir-fries, with no special equipment or hard-to-find ingredients. Mon Chou suggests it for a weeknight dinner that feels like a trip somewhere else, shared with adults or teens who enjoy a bit of spice. Scooping it up with injera turns dinner into something more hands-on and changes the whole mood of the meal.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Sirloin steak 700 g

Fruits and vegetables

  • Onions 3
  • Green bell peppers 2
  • Green chili 1
  • Fresh rosemary 2 sprigs
  • Garlic 3 cloves

Dairy

  • Butter 50 g

Pantry

  • Berbere (or paprika)often in the pantry 1 tbsp
  • Injera 8
  • Saltoften in the pantry 1 pinch
  • Pepperoften in the pantry 1 pinch

Allergens Gluten, Lactose

The step by step recipe

  1. Cut the beef into small cubes and season with salt and pepper. 5 min

    A cube about the size of a knuckle cooks in two minutes.

  2. Slice the onions, peppers and chili, and crush the garlic.

    Keep the peppers in strips, they stay nicely crisp.

  3. Melt the butter in a large, very hot pan, add the beef in small batches and sear it. 8 min

    Clarified butter handles the heat better and keeps it from burning.

  4. Remove the beef, then sauté the onions and peppers with the garlic, rosemary and berbere. 8 min

    Let them char in spots for a smoky flavor.

  5. Return the beef to the pan, toss everything together and serve with injera. 3 min

    No injera on hand, thick wheat crepes or plain wraps work just fine.

Our tips to get it right

  • Pat the beef cubes dry with paper towels before searing them, moisture is the enemy of good browning.
  • Always cook the beef in small batches in the pan, otherwise the temperature drops and the meat boils instead of searing.
  • If you can't find berbere, mix paprika with a pinch of cayenne pepper and a little ground ginger to get close to the flavor.

The variations

  • Swap the sirloin for rump steak or flank steak, two tender cuts that handle quick, high heat cooking well.
  • For a vegetarian version, replace the beef with button mushrooms cut into large pieces, seared the same way.
  • For a milder version, skip the green chili and cut the berbere in half, the dish keeps its character without too much heat.

What to serve it with

  • Extra injera for scooping
  • Tomato and red onion salad
  • Spiced black tea or fresh juice

Storage

Tibs keep for 2 days in the fridge in a sealed container. Reheat them in a hot pan for a few minutes so they don't release water. Injera freezes well, but dries out quickly once thawed, so it's best eaten fresh.

Questions about this dish

Can I substitute injera if I can't find it?

Yes, thick wheat crepes or plain wraps work well as a substitute. The flavor won't be identical, but the texture for scooping up the sauce stays close.

Do I need a special butter to sear the meat?

Clarified butter is ideal since it handles high heat better without burning. Regular butter also works, just watch the cooking closely.

Can I prep beef tibs ahead of time?

You can cut the meat and slice the vegetables the day before and store them separately in the fridge. The actual cooking should happen right before serving so the meat stays well seared.

What exactly is berbere?

It's an Ethiopian spice blend made with chili, garlic, ginger and mild spices. Paprika alone gives a milder version but with less complex flavor.

How long does it take to make beef tibs with injera?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in beef tibs with injera?

About 530 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does beef tibs with injera cost?

About €4.60 per serving, or €18.40 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains gluten, lactose. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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