Beef and Peas Paella

🥘 Beef & Peas Paella (For 3 People)

• Prep time: 15 mins
• Cook time: 35 mins
• Total time: 50 mins

🛒 Ingredients List

Ingredient	Quantity	Notes
Bomba or Paella Rice	300g	Weighed precisely
Beef Stock	900ml	Hot, rich, and well-seasoned
Beef Tenderloin or Ribeye	350g	Cut into bite-sized cubes
Fresh or Frozen Peas	120g	Sweet green peas
Grated Tomatoes	2 medium	Ripe, skin discarded
Garlic	3 cloves	Finely minced
Sweet Smoked Paprika	1 tsp	Premium quality (Pimentón de la Vera)
Saffron Threads	A generous pinch	Crushed and infused in the stock
Olive Oil	3-4 tbsp	Extra virgin
Salt & Fresh Pepper	To taste	For seasoning the beef

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🍳 Step-by-Step Preparation

1. Sear the Beef

1. Place your paella pan over medium-high heat and add the extra virgin olive oil.
2. Season the beef cubes generously with salt and black pepper.
3. Once the oil is shimmering, sear the beef quickly until a nice brown crust forms on all sides. Keep the center slightly underdone so it stays tender later.
4. Move the beef cubes to the outer edges of the pan where the heat is lower.

2. Build the Sofrito Base

1. Lower the heat to medium. In the center of the pan, add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute until fragrant (do not let it burn).
2. Pour in the grated tomatoes. Cook the mixture down for about 5–7 minutes, stirring frequently, until the water evaporates and the tomato turns deep red and jammy.
3. Stir in the sweet smoked paprika for just 30 seconds to toast it lightly without burning it.
4. Mix the beef back into the central sofrito, then stir in the green peas.

3. Simmer the Stock

1. Pour the 900ml of hot beef stock (infused with saffron) into the pan.
2. Bring everything to a vigorous boil. Let it simmer together for about 5 minutes so the beef and peas thoroughly flavor the broth. Taste the broth—it should taste slightly over-salted, as the rice will absorb a lot of flavor.

4. Add the Rice (At the End)

1. Now, add the 300g of rice. Sprinkle it evenly across the pan, ensuring all grains are submerged under the liquid.
2. Give the pan one final, gentle stir to distribute the rice, beef, and peas evenly. Do not stir the rice again after this step to allow the starch to lock in and create a proper texture.
3. Cook on high heat for 8 minutes (the liquid should bubble vigorously).
4. Lower the heat to low/medium-low for another 10 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed.
5. (Optional) If you want a nice socarrat (the toasted rice crust), turn the heat up to high for the final 60–90 seconds until you hear a crackling sound and smell a deep, toasted aroma.

5. Rest and Serve

1. Remove the pan from the heat.
2. Cover it with a clean kitchen towel or aluminum foil and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving. This settles the flavors and finishes cooking the top layer of rice perfectly.