This creamy beef trinchado is a Portuguese-influenced South African stew made with chunks of rump steak simmered in red wine, beef stock, garlic, chilli and bay leaves. The cream is stirred in at the end, giving the spicy sauce a smooth, rich finish.
Trinchado is mostly tender beef and sauce rather than a vegetable-heavy stew, so it is best served with chunky chips or crusty white rolls for dipping. This is the creamy version; some trinchado recipes are made without cream.
Reader review
"I have been looking to improve my Trinchado recipe over the years and came across this one. I gave it a go last night and it was superb! It went down a treat with the family."
- Günter
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Jump to:
- Reader review
- Why this recipe works
- Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Optional extras
- A note on using dry-aged meat
- What to expect from trinchado
- Cooking vessel and trinchado consistency notes
- How to make trinchado: Step-by-step
- Serving suggestions
- Storage, freezing and reheating
- FAQ
- More South African recipes
- Recipe
Why this recipe works
- Rump steak stays tender and holds its shape.
- Browning the beef adds deeper flavour.
- Red wine, stock, garlic and chilli make a rich, savoury sauce.
- Adding the cream at the end keeps the sauce smooth.
- Clear guidance on liquid levels prevents the sauce becoming dry or watery.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
You'll find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Beef
Rump steak is my usual choice. Sirloin, rib-eye, porterhouse and fillet also work, although very lean or dry-aged beef may be ready sooner. Start checking it after about 1 hour rather than automatically cooking it for the full 1½ hours.
Red chillies
Use one or two supermarket red chillies for gentle heat. Bird's-eye chillies are much hotter, so use less. Add cayenne or peri-peri sauce only if you want a hotter trinchado.
Garlic
Use 4 teaspoons of garlic paste or 5-6 large fresh cloves. It sounds generous, but garlic is a defining part of the sauce.
Beef stock
Stock cubes are perfectly fine. Because prepared stock can be salty, taste the trinchado before adding any extra salt.
Red wine
Most dry red wines work well. A Portuguese red is a lovely choice but not essential.
Double cream/heavy cream
In South Africa, double cream can usually be found at Woolworths. If you can't find it, use the highest-fat pouring cream available. Add it at the end and heat gently for 1-2 minutes without letting the sauce boil hard.
Optional extras
Peri-peri sauce: Add 1-2 tablespoons with the other liquid ingredients, depending on how much heat you want.
Black olives: Add about 20 pitted black olives when you return the browned beef to the pan.
A note on using dry-aged meat
Dry-aged beef has already lost some moisture and may cook faster.
One reader, Conrad, found his dry-aged rump was tender after about 1 hour rather than 1½. Start checking it earlier and stop cooking once the beef is tender.
What to expect from trinchado
Trinchado is not a vegetable-packed, everyday beef stew. It is mainly tender beef in a concentrated, spicy sauce.
When ready, the meat should be tender but still hold together in chunks. The sauce should cling to the beef while remaining loose enough to mop up with bread or chips.
Cooking vessel and trinchado consistency notes
The size of your pot and hob burner will affect how quickly the liquid evaporates. Use a heavy-based pot with a fairly snug surface area rather than a very wide pan, which can make the sauce reduce too quickly.
Once the beef begins its 1½-hour simmer, keep the heat as low as possible and use a burner that suits the size of the pot.
Check and stir the trinchado every 10-15 minutes, scraping the bottom to prevent sticking. If it starts looking dry, stir in a small splash of wine or water. Remember that the cream added later will loosen the sauce slightly.
If there is too much liquid near the end, leave the lid slightly ajar for a few minutes so some steam can escape.
How to make trinchado: Step-by-step
Step 1: Use a sharp knife to cut the steak into large, bite-sized chunks.
Step 2: Place the beef in a large bowl and add the Worcestershire sauce. Stir well so every piece is coated.
Step 3: Cover the bowl and leave the beef to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
Step 4: Meanwhile, combine the beef stock, red wine, tomato paste and sugar in a large jug or mixing bowl. Stir until the tomato paste is evenly mixed through.
Step 5: Heat half the butter and half the oil in a medium-large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat.
Once the butter and oil are sizzling, brown the beef in batches until golden on all sides. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as the beef will steam rather than brown.
Step 6: Transfer each browned batch to a clean plate or bowl and set aside. Keep any Worcestershire marinade left in the original bowl, as this will be added to the sauce and cooked thoroughly.
Step 7: Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining butter and oil. Add the chopped onions and chillies and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent.
Step 8: Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant.
Step 9: Sprinkle over the flour and stir it through the onions. Cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir.
The flour may stick slightly, but that is fine. The browned residue will loosen when you add the liquid.
Step 10: Pour in the prepared stock and wine mixture, along with any Worcestershire marinade left in the bowl.
Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the browned and sticky bits. These will melt into the sauce and add flavour.
Step 11: Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and lightly coats the spoon.
Step 12: Add the bay leaves, then return the browned beef and any juices collected on the plate to the pan. Stir until the beef is evenly coated in the sauce.
Step 13: Bring the sauce to a very gentle simmer, with only a few small bubbles breaking the surface. Cover the pan tightly with a lid and cook over the lowest heat for 1½ hours.
Check and stir the trinchado every 10-15 minutes, scraping the bottom to prevent sticking. If it begins to look dry, stir in a small splash of red wine or water.
If there is too much liquid near the end, leave the lid slightly ajar for a few minutes to allow some steam to escape.
Step 14: Check that the beef is tender, then taste the sauce before adding salt. The beef stock and Worcestershire sauce are already salty, so you may need very little extra. Add the black pepper.
Step 15: Stir in the cream. You can use slightly less if the trinchado is already very saucy, or a little more if you would like to loosen the sauce.
Step 16: Heat gently for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the cream is fully combined and the sauce is smooth and hot. Do not let the sauce boil hard once the cream has been added.
Step 17: Remove the pan from the heat and leave the trinchado to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Step 18: Serve with chunky chips/French fries or fresh white bread rolls for mopping up the sauce.
Serving suggestions
Serve trinchado in bowls with chunky chips/French fries or crusty white or Portuguese rolls for mopping up the sauce. A little chopped parsley is enough for freshness.
If you are serving it as a main meal, a simple green salad helps balance the rich sauce.
Storage, freezing and reheating
Store leftover trinchado in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Reheat it gently in the microwave or in a saucepan over low heat, stirring occasionally until piping hot. Add a small splash of water, stock or cream if the sauce has thickened too much.
Trinchado can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost it overnight in the fridge before reheating.
FAQ
Trinchado's exact origin is difficult to pin down. It is closely associated with Portuguese communities in South Africa, with links often drawn to Angola and Mozambique.
The Portuguese word roughly means "cut up" or "chopped", referring to the pieces of meat used in the dish.
Trin-cha-doh.
More South African recipes
For more South African comfort food, try my traditional bobotie, bunny chow, prego rolls or South African yellow rice.
Recipe
Beef Trinchado - Portuguese inspired South African stew
Equipment
- 1 medium-large, lidded, heavy-based saucepan, or cast iron pot/pan
Ingredients
- 1 kilogram rump steak - Sliced into large cubes. You can also use Porterhouse, rib-eye, sirloin or fillet steak.
- 4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- 300 millilitre prepared beef stock - We use 2 x Oxo beef cubes in 300ml water and then don't add extra salt.
- 300 millilitre red wine
- 1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 30 grams butter
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 150 grams onion - Red, white or brown onions. Finely chopped.
- 2 red chillies - Finely chopped. Adjust the amount of chilli according to taste and the type of chilli you are using.
- 4 teaspoons garlic paste - or 5-6 fresh, minced cloves.
- 2 tablespoons plain flour
- 3 bay leaves
- salt to taste
- few good grinds of black pepper
- 150 millilitre double cream/heavy cream
Instructions
- Use a sharp knife to cut the steak into large, bite-sized chunks.1 kilogram rump steak
- Place the beef in a large bowl and add the Worcestershire sauce. Stir well so every piece is coated.4 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
- Cover the bowl and leave the beef to marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, combine the beef stock, red wine, tomato paste and sugar in a large jug or mixing bowl. Stir until the tomato paste is evenly mixed through.300 millilitre prepared beef stock, 300 millilitre red wine, 1 heaped tablespoon tomato paste, 2 teaspoons sugar
- Heat half the butter and half the oil in a medium-large, heavy-based saucepan over medium-high heat.Once the butter and oil are sizzling, brown the beef in batches until golden on all sides. Avoid overcrowding the pan, as the beef will steam rather than brown.
- Transfer each browned batch to a clean plate or bowl and set aside. Keep any Worcestershire marinade left in the original bowl, as this will be added to the sauce and cooked thoroughly.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining butter and oil. Add the chopped onions and chillies and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent.150 grams onion, 2 red chillies
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, stirring, until fragrant.4 teaspoons garlic paste
- Sprinkle over the flour and stir it through the onions. Cook for 1 minute, scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir.The flour may stick slightly, but that is fine. The browned residue will loosen when you add the liquid.2 tablespoons plain flour
- Pour in the prepared stock and wine mixture, along with any Worcestershire marinade left in the bowl.Stir well, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen all the browned and sticky bits. These will melt into the sauce and add flavour.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce has thickened slightly and lightly coats the spoon.3 bay leaves
- Add the bay leaves, then return the browned beef and any juices collected on the plate to the pan. Stir until the beef is evenly coated in the sauce.
- Bring the sauce to a very gentle simmer, with only a few small bubbles breaking the surface. Cover the pan tightly with a lid and cook over the lowest heat for 1½ hours.Check and stir the trinchado every 10-15 minutes, scraping the bottom to prevent sticking. If it begins to look dry, stir in a small splash of red wine or water.If there is too much liquid near the end, leave the lid slightly ajar for a few minutes to allow some steam to escape.
- Check that the beef is tender, then taste the sauce before adding salt. The beef stock and Worcestershire sauce are already salty, so you may need very little extra. Add the black pepper.few good grinds of black pepper, salt to taste
- Stir in the cream. You can use slightly less if the trinchado is already very saucy, or a little more if you would like to loosen the sauce.150 millilitre double cream/heavy cream
- Heat gently for 1-2 minutes, stirring, until the cream is fully combined and the sauce is smooth and hot. Do not let the sauce boil hard once the cream has been added.
- Remove the pan from the heat and leave the trinchado to rest for 10 minutes before serving.
- Serve with chunky chips/French fries or fresh white bread rolls for mopping up the sauce.
Notes
- Use a heavy-based pot with a well-fitting lid.
- Keep the heat very low during the 1½-hour simmer.
- Check and stir every 10-15 minutes. Add a small splash of water or wine if it is drying out.
- Dry-aged rump may be tender after about 1 hour.
**Nutritional data disclaimer**
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information provided below is calculated by a third party and we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We try our best to give you the most accurate information, but we do not take responsibility for errors that may be present. Also, the nutritional value of the recipe may change depending on the exact brands and products used. We recommend that you consult with a qualified healthcare professional or registered dietitian for personalised advice on your dietary needs.
Nutrition
For food safety advice, including guidance on food allergies
Conrad says
Excellent! Next time I will only cook for 1 hour as the aged rump I used was a bit dry or to well done after 1.5 hours. Great recipe.
Maretha @ The Cinnamon Jar says
Hey Conrad! So pleased about your feedback. You made a great point about using aged rump, l will add a section to the blog post about your experience, just to make others aware as well. Thank you!
Günter says
Hello, I have been looking to improve my Trinchado recipe over the years and came across this one. I have it a go last night and it was superb! It went down a treat with the family. I did add the black olives and a dash of peri peri, and served it with crispy white rolls. I definitely recommend! Thank you!
Maretha Corbett says
Hey Günter!
Cheers for diving into our Trinchado recipe! So thrilled to hear it was a hit with your fam. Crispy white rolls - That's the pièce de résistance!
Thanks a bunch for recommending it. Happy cooking and big thanks for making my day with your awesome feedback!
Maretha.
Günter says
I made it again tonight, entertaining both sets of neighbours and it went down a treat!
Maretha Corbett says
Hi again Günter!
Oh, that’s fantastic to hear! I’m so glad the Trinchado turns out perfectly for you each time. Your neighbours are lucky to have you spoiling them with such a Saffa treat. Thank you for the kind feedback - it means so much!
Maretha x
john cartwright says
I used left over Rump steak that had been seasoned with a Portuguese spice.
I Sliced it thinly. I didn't have cream so used full-cream Greek yogurt. It split but didn't affect the taste -. It was delicious. Nex time I will omit the dairy completely - don't think it added to the dish.
Maretha Corbett says
Hey John,
I'm so glad you enjoyed the Trinchado, despite the split yogurt 🙂 (Yes, yogurt doesn't like heat, does it?). I quite like your idea of substituting the cream for yogurt though - I might try that just to find out for myself and see if it can be added at a different stage of the cooking process. It might be a good swap for someone who *does* want a bit of dairy by using a healthier option.
(I would recommend you try it with the cream some time though!)
Thanks for the lovely feedback and happy cooking!
Maretha.
Gavin O’Neill says
Hi Maretha,
Portuguese food is my favourite go to cuisine when out for a lunch or dinner, but chefs never share the full recipe or their secrets…
You, however have absolutely nailed this Trinchado recipe - from the ingredients to the directions to the tips! I rarely follow recipes exactly, but yours is a winner and a must!
It’s a regular family favourite now. Thank you for sharing it.
Maretha Corbett says
Hey Gavin!
You've made my day! Thank you so much for the lovely feedback. Portuguese food is vastly underrated and Trinchado has to be up there as one of the best. It's such a treat! Much appreciate your kind comments, thank you.
Happy cooking!
Maretha
Kate says
Trinchado is my hubbys favourite dish so I make it often at home. He orders it whenever it’s on a menu and I’m so glad I found your recipe because we both agree no restaurant trinchado is as good as this one!
Maretha Corbett says
Hi Kate,
Oh wow - what an incredible compliment! I’m so happy to hear that you and your husband enjoyed it, especially since he’s such a trinchado fan. That really means a lot!
Thank you for making it and for taking the time to leave such a kind note.
Maretha x
Scotty Murray says
Hi Maretha
I’ve tried all different recipes with no real authentic taste like yours. Thank you for this recipe.
Regards
Scotty from down under.
Maretha Corbett says
Hi Scotty from down under! 😊
You’ve just made my day - thank you! So glad this one hit the authentic spot after all those trials. Always nice to know I’ve done the trinchado justice (and saved a few recipe searches in the process!).
Have a lovely day!
Maretha x
eva says
ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS 10/10 😘😘 just added a bit more of the sauce
Maretha Corbett says
Hi Eva,
Woohoo! 10/10 😄 Extra sauce is always the right move - especially if you’re dipping!
Maretha x
Kyle Buckley says
I cooked this dish for a group of 6 people including a vegetarian on a weekend away. The recipe was an absolute hit and the vegetarian even went back for seconds. I would highly recommend this Trinchado recipe to anyone wanting a crowd pleasing dish.
Maretha Corbett says
Kyle, this absolutely made my day. Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a kind review!
Cooking for a group is one thing…but winning over a vegetarian with a beef dish? That feels like a small miracle (or at least a very persuasive sauce 😄). I’m so glad it was a hit with everyone and that it worked so well for your weekend away.
Really appreciate the recommendation, it means a lot!
Maretha x